Asterix NZ

The Asterix Articles
Asterix in New Zeland
Introduction

It is highly unlikely that we will ever see an Asterix adventure called "Asterix in New Zealand". But we can certainly imagine what might happen. Getafix has discovered a recipe for a new magic potion, but it requires magical plants from undiscovered worlds. Asterix and Obelix set off to on a long voyage (or magic carpet ride?) and eventually discover New Zealand. They meet the local Maori, Asterix rides a moa, Obelix takes a bath in the Rotorua hot mud pools and they bring back the magical plant - kiwifruit!

It will never happen of course. But we Kiwis still love Asterix, and he is well known in our country.

Any library's children's section is incomplete with a whole row dedicated to the Asterix books (though often Asterix very kindly shares the row with Tintin!). I would be constantly getting Asterix books out of the library, set up a hammock in my backyard, and lie down for an afternoon of the greatest pleasure imaginable - reading lots and lots of Asterix books! At my school, the Asterix series were prominently displayed, and each library the shelf would be decimated as people took them down to read. For some of my school friends, Asterix proved such an obsession that we started our own "Asterix Club" and each assumed characters - I was "Getafix". I remember dressing up as Getafix for a special school book day in which we had to dress up as our favourite literary characters. I attatched a carboard beard with cotton wool stuck on it, and tucked a white towel into my belt. We'd organise special Asterix get togethers were we'd watch the Asterix movies, play Asterix inspired games and even eat some Roast Boar (okay.. grilled pork).

Since those glory days of an Asterix filled childhood, Asterix has stayed with me as this website is a testament to. Its been around in some form or another since 2001. It began as a personal fanpage, but branched out and became more and more international as I tried to fill the holes in Asterix enthusiasm on the web. It has been remiss of me not to have a dedicated Asterix page for New Zealanders. This article is well overdue.

If you're a Kiwi Asterix fan, I'd love to hear some comments from you! Whats your NZ Asterix story?

Asterix in New Zealand

Here are a few examples of the role of Asterix in NZ:

The name "Asterix" is based on "Asterisk" the typographical symbol of *. The popularity of Asterix in New Zealand is credited as causing New Zealanders to say "Asterix" instead of "Asterisk"! Two examples, out of many NZ pages on the web are:

The Stage Coach website:

Or this NZ History page:

We have our own reggae musician called "The Mighty Asterix" who's goal is to "to free up the people with our muzik, with positiva consciencenessa, muzik being the second power, we feel should be used in its propa force, not just to promote sex, fast cars, Fubu and things."
The Asterix Series has been voted by Hutt Cuty 5-8 year olds as their No.3 favourite series.
We even have our own thoroughbred horse called "Lord Asterix!" trained by Karen Zimmerman.

Asterix has been linked to Russell's Pompailer Mission Building. "As well as being this country's oldest industrial building, Pompallier Mission is unique in New Zealand in that it is constructed of rammed earth - a traditional building technique brought to New Zealand by Catholic missionaries from Lyon in southern France," she says.

The roots of this construction method can be traced back to the ancient Romans who introduced this building method to France. Conquering Gaul, the Romans founded a city they called Lugdunum, today known as Lyon, a place the French cartoon character has been known to visit in his various adventures."
Buying Asterix in New Zealand
The Orion released Asterix books are readily available from the following bookstores:
  • Whitcoulls - stores all over New Zealand
  • Paperplus - stores all over New Zealand
  • Borders - Very good range at Queen St, Auckland
  • Auckland University Bookshop - good range, even includes some French Asterix editions

Second Hand books and earlier editions of Asterix are harder to find. There are many second hand bookshops around New Zealand, but Asterix books get snapped up very quickly. I do recomend

  • Hard to Find (but worth the effort): Onehunga, Auckland and Devenport, North Shore
  • Evergreen Books: Devenport, North Shore

The cartoon Asterix DVDs have been readily available for some years, but the liveaction Asterix movies have only been released for the first time here in 2007.

If you know of any other good places to buy the Asterix products in New Zealand, please get in contact with me!