Southern man
Encyclopedia
In New Zealand
, the southern man is a stereotypical southern heterosexual male, well used to the solitude and conditions of open mountain or hill country, and completely out of his depth in the city.
The stereotype draws on images of high country farmers and hunters, particularly from areas such as Central Otago
and the Mackenzie Basin
, who work large sheep station
s, often employing the horse and dog rather than mechanised transport, due to the terrain they have to cover.
Ironically
, the New Zealander who probably best exemplified the characteristics of the southern man was a North Island
er - writer and bushman Barry Crump
.
Already a well-known stereotype, it gained an extra boost due to its use in the advertising campaign of Otago
's best known pale lager beer, Speight's
, in a series of advertisements which have been running since the early 1990s.
The stereotype was later attributed to an iconic song, which is now regarded as an unofficial anthem of Dunedin City
and Otago
in general, produced and sung by Murray Grindlay.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the southern man is a stereotypical southern heterosexual male, well used to the solitude and conditions of open mountain or hill country, and completely out of his depth in the city.
The stereotype draws on images of high country farmers and hunters, particularly from areas such as Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
and the Mackenzie Basin
Mackenzie Basin
The Mackenzie Basin , is an elliptical intermontane basin, located in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, near the centre of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest such basin in New Zealand...
, who work large sheep station
Sheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
s, often employing the horse and dog rather than mechanised transport, due to the terrain they have to cover.
Ironically
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
, the New Zealander who probably best exemplified the characteristics of the southern man was a North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
er - writer and bushman Barry Crump
Barry Crump
Barry John Crump MBE was a New Zealand author of semi-autobiographical comic novels based on his image as a rugged outdoors man...
.
Already a well-known stereotype, it gained an extra boost due to its use in the advertising campaign of Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
's best known pale lager beer, Speight's
Speight's
Speight's is a brewery in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is famous for its promotional branding based on being 'a real southern man' and being 'the pride of the south'. Speight's also gave rise to a series of Speight's Ale Houses across New Zealand.- History :...
, in a series of advertisements which have been running since the early 1990s.
The stereotype was later attributed to an iconic song, which is now regarded as an unofficial anthem of Dunedin City
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
and Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
in general, produced and sung by Murray Grindlay.