Because New Zealand appears to be such a barefoot friendly place, based on the people who use this website who come from there, I have several questions: Is there a difference between barefooting in the city, as opposed to the rural areas? Is there a difference between the ethnic groups (i.e. caucasion, pacific islanderm others) who tend to go barefoot? Is there a difference between the average number of men and women who go barefoot regularly? Are there occupations which allow workers to go barefoot, where safety is not involved, such as secretarial work or something else I might not think of? Are there social events where people go barefoot in New Zealand which would not be acceptable in the USA or other countries? Thank you!
Having been to NZ a number of times and living in Australia, I think I can answer your questions. Is there a difference between barefooting in the city, as opposed to the rural areas? If city means CBD, then very few barefooters. In the suburbs, not often, but they are around at takeaways, restaurants, shopping centres and supermarkets in the North Island. As North Island is warmer, there tends to be more barefooters. You will find them in Tauranga, Rotorua, Auckland, Hamilton, etc... Definitely more barefooters outside of the main cities. Is there a difference between the ethnic groups (i.e. caucasion, pacific islanderm others) who tend to go barefoot? Mostly Caucasians, Pacific Islanders and Maoris. Occasionally, you will see Asians, but more of an exception. This seems to apply to both general settings and at schools. Is there a difference between the average number of men and women who go barefoot regularly? I think there are more men. Are there occupations which allow workers to go barefoot, where safety is not involved, such as secretarial work or something else I might not think of? Fruit picking? Surf lifesavers? Are there social events where people go barefoot in New Zealand which would not be acceptable in the USA or other countries? Music festivals? Barefooting is just a way of life in NZ. Having said that, there is not a huge percentage of the population that does it on a regular basis, but there's enough people doing it on the occasional basis that it will become noticeable.
Hi there, just saw this thread, and i thought as a NZ mum and full time barefooter i should respond. with regard barefooters in the central area I have seen a few, I am in suburban Auckland (largest city population around 1.6 million)., and certainly at suburban shopping malls you will see people in bare feet, summer time more so. In beach towns of course, definitely more popular. The North Island is generally warmer (doesnt snow in Auckland) so more barefooters there. i think the ethnic mix is pretty even. NZ Maori (the indigenous people) are always barefoot on their marae, so this is sometimes carried over into normal live. I have three caucasian friends who are barefoot alot of time - they shop in bare feet, pick their kids up from school in bare feet - but, unlike me, wouldnt go to a restaurant in bare feet. i think for men and women its pretty much 50/50....lately I have seen alot of young men in barefeet out shopping. jobs is a difficult one. I worked as a teacher aide in a local school part time, and was barefoot all the time. I think it comes down to the willingness of your employer. it needs to be said that NZ is very much a "live and let live' place, we dont tend to involve ourselves in others business, and generally we re very tolerant of people - i have never been "told off" by some shoe police at our local mall..we also dont have owner liability or suing they way the US does , so if you hurt yourself in a shop, the Accident Compensation Corporation (like a insurance company that covers accidents) looks after you. Hope that helps
Solemum's response was on the money. My own employer is very tolerant and accepting of diversity which means I can work barefoot in the office. I don't own footwear so any social occasions are barefoot ones for me here in Auckland, New Zealand. There are some venues where the security guards prohibit barefoot people from entering and airlines are particularly obstructive.
Okay this is Codger again. I'm glad that you responded. You seem to be the most knowledgeable person on the subject. I find these things kind of fun. I do not plan to travel to NZ because I am approaching 90 years old. Visiting a few friends in California is now my speed. You mentioned that employers may let workers go barefoot, as you were allowed to do, and I'm wondering if you were aware of any other situations. This person Dr. Pepper whom I have never heard of, and they may be legit, but you get some that aren't and I don't want to insult the person. There is a link which you can get to called "Fashion First" and if you add barefoot at the end of it, you can get there. It looks like a link that is for women, though some men do respond to it (not me). It's not particularly active but you or Pixie of Berry Mommy or the lady from England who was born in the US might be interested. Or maybe not.
Thanks for that. In answer to your questions, my experience has been that if you gradually begin to take your shoes off, and walk around the office for example, and nothing is said, then the habit develops, until you seldom have shoes on your feet. For me, working as a teacher aide, it was a bit different - I was there as a parent first, involved in school activities, picking up my kids etc, so I was always seen in bare feet. When the job was advertised i went to the job interview in bare feet, i simply dont own shoes and had no intention of buying any. Nothing was said and when I turned up on the first day in bare feet, again nothing was mentioned. The job led me to a number of situations where shoes may have been "expected"...for example driving the school van to team rugby games, all done in bare feet (you can imagine how dirty they got), driving kids to our town hall in central Auckland for a school choir performance, being parent helper to all sorts of museums, zoos, etc., all done completely barefoot, without the luxury of 'shoes in the car or handbag', i was aware of female first...i thinks British, and may have contributed to it at one stage. Problem is with these forums, you never know whats reality and whats make believe!
The reason you got hired is because you're competent and obviously you got along well with the children and the administrations and the parents had to be pleased with our work. How long have you been a 24/7 barefooter? I've got an opinion, rightly or wrongly, that I think I can usually tell when people are real if they say enough. Tatgirl from NZ was real and her description of the circumstances regarding barefoot in Hawaii was accurate, and I believe the Ice Queen from Canada was real.
When I was teaching at Leeward Community College for over 36 years, I did have a couple of barefoot students who worked for me. One of them, and I hope I didn't tell this story before, ran for and won the student Senate. She, however, was a little reluctant to go barefoot into various establishments off-campus.Note: As an old man who doesn't see very well, I am not a barefooter anymore. I encouraged her to go to the bank with me and to go to different restaurants. She became the school valedictorian and did the whole thing barefoot. Being a mother in her mid-twenties, nobody said anything. I also took her to a top notch restaurant along with her parents who came in from Puerto Rico. The bad part of this story is that the counselors at the college changed the rules that if you're going to walk during graduation, you have to wear shoes. If you give an idiot something to do, he's likely to do it.
A little history in things I remember: In the late 1930's, in the San Joaquin Valley in California, where I came from, going barefoot was a summer treat for many children. You could go to grocery stores, any restaurant, shopping with your parents, or the show/movies. There was, however, a definite distinction between children's and adults' behavior in regards to wearing shoes. You seldom saw a barefoot person, man or woman in public except for the occasional housewife or man after he finished work, going next door or down the block or across the street to visit a neighbor. You have to remember that, in those days, with women not working there were neighborhoods and people knew each other quite well. It seems to me that barefooting seemed to become less popular in the 1950s, for children but got its revival obviously in the mid 1960s, first with the beatniks and then the hippies and others. The insurance companies seemed to have gotten into the act and kind of wrecked things. One story I would like to tell... around 1965 or 1966, im not sure which I was living in Lod Angeles and I was walking with a friend, and I said to her " that's a younger person up ahead of us" and she said " you may think it's a young person but it's an old woman" I would have forgotten about it except that, a short time later, I was in Ralph's Supermarket on Santa Monica and Vermont, waiting in line, and a woman a couple of people ahead of me dropped her cigarette on the floor. I realized that she was barefoot, and I offered to step on it for her. She said "I've got it," and stepped on it. She was about 60 years old I think, and therefore I would have to guess that it was the same person that we had seen a short time earlier. I did not get the impression of a homeless person because of the way she spoke, and it was before the real homeless crisis that occurred and before Ronald Reagan wreck the public health program in California. Maybe some of you have your stories that you would like to add.
Codger So happy that you don't want to insult me! Not sure why you may not think I'm genuine. Join the SBL and we can have a longer chat. I've been going barefoot at work for the past 16 years or so. There's the odd restaurant in Auckland that is averse to barefoot customers but there are plenty that are prepared to accept me as I am. QUOTE="Codger, post: 9104168, member: 188081"]Okay this is Codger again. I'm glad that you responded. You seem to be the most knowledgeable person on the subject. I find these things kind of fun. I do not plan to travel to NZ because I am approaching 90 years old. Visiting a few friends in California is now my speed. You mentioned that employers may let workers go barefoot, as you were allowed to do, and I'm wondering if you were aware of any other situations. This person Dr. Pepper whom I have never heard of, and they may be legit, but you get some that aren't and I don't want to insult the person. There is a link which you can get to called "Fashion First" and if you add barefoot at the end of it, you can get there. It looks like a link that is for women, though some men do respond to it (not me). It's not particularly active but you or Pixie of Berry Mommy or the lady from England who was born in the US might be interested. Or maybe not.[/QUOTE]
