As part of celebrating the significant United States/New Zealand 70th anniversaries this year we designed and minted a commemorative coin to be gifted to guests at our Independence Day celebrations in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch. The coins debuted yesterday evening at our first such reception, in Wellington’s historic old Town Hall.

Of course, the coins are not legal tender, but they do look great. (The photos don’t quite capture the etched details and the sheen of the metal.) Here are the two sides of the coin, in larger than real-life form:

As you may know, the message on the scroll on the reverse side of the coin comes from a plaque that the U.S. Marines presented to Wellington City Council in thanks and appreciation for the hospitality of the citizens of the region during the war. Still mounted on a sea wall on Aotea Quay, the plaque accurately and succinctly sums up the Marines’ historical and ongoing feelings about New Zealand.

I know from my childhood and subsequent travels that sharing distinctive food is a great way to create strong bonds among people. That’s why we invited Hawaii culinary star Chef Mavro (George Mavrothalassitis) to cook at our Independence Day events in Auckland and Wellington. As we expected, our guests were delighted by Chef Mavro’s larger-than-life personality, engaging charm, and creative interpretations of traditional regional recipes. His ahi poke and confit salmon lomilomi disappeared particularly quickly.

It’s clear that Chef Mavro thoroughly enjoyed his first visit to Aotearoa. As he said before he flew home, ”I’ve been especially impressed by the warmth of the people in New Zealand. And all of my restaurant meals and the wines in Auckland and Wellington have been outstanding. I’m planning to look for a bach rental and come back in the summer for some fishing!”

With Chef Mavro in Wellington.

Chef Mavro moved from Marseilles to Honolulu 23 years ago, and he was immediately inspired by Hawaii’s multi-ethnic people and culinary traditions. Those inspirations drive his approach to food. The menu at his restaurant is reinvented each season as the culinary team works hand-in-hand with local farmers to bring new products to the table and to develop innovative techniques that enhance the natural flavors of Hawaii’s bounty.

As Chef Mavro says, “Sometimes buying local means the cost is higher and it takes more time, but local farmers succeed and my guests enjoy fresh, regional ingredients and a dining experience they could have only in Hawaii.” His approach has drawn numerous accolades, including the James Beard award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest / Hawaii and a place on Gayot’s list of the top 40 restaurants in the US.

For home-cooking recipes, culinary tips, restaurant updates, and other information, you can follow the Chef on Twitter and Facebook. And I’ll let you know when he next comes to New Zealand to cook.

As you know from my post a few weeks ago, this year we celebrated American Independence Day with a reception in Christchurch on July 4th. We waited until the first week in August for our receptions in Auckland and Wellington so that we would not cause conflicts with local mid-winter vacations or the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington.

The two North Island events had a special focus. We celebrated not only the 235th anniversary of American Independence but also America and New Zealand’s shared Polynesian culture … with dance, music, food, videos, speeches, special guests, and more.

Our friends from the kapa haka group at Wellington High School and the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii.

The theme has deep resonance. America and Aotearoa have been, are, and always will be Pacific nations, and that is one of the most powerful of the ties that bind us together. Both lands were settled initially by Pacific migrations. Both peoples have defended the Pacific against aggression, at high cost.

It seemed fitting and timely to remind ourselves just how much we have in common, not only civically and philosophically but culturally. The linkages are often surprising, energizing, and synergistic. Because it’s usually better to demonstrate than to describe, and to be specific rather than generalized, we decided to focus on one of many excellent exemplars … the strong resonance between our nations’ respective native Hawaiian and Maori citizens.

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I always enjoy visiting Samoa, but I particularly look forward to coming in June for Independence Day. This year was the 49th anniversary of the founding of the nation of Western Samoa, which later changed its name to the Independent State of Samoa.

Of course, Samoan history stretches back much farther than 49 years. Archaeologists tell us that humans first appeared in Samoa around 1500 BC, and Samoan oral history seems to extend back to at least 1000 AD. Since then there have been a variety of battles, influences, and governments … leading up to the seizure by New Zealand in 1914 of the Samoan islands held by Germany.

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