Jafa

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Jafa is a slang term (usually offensive) for a resident of Auckland, New Zealand. It is the acronym for Just Another Fucking Aucklander. This prejudice against Aucklanders started to appear within the last four decades. Internationally, and especially in the UK, the term JAFA has also come to stand for Just Another Fucking Australian, apparently in reference to the hard drinking and arrogant behaviour of many travelling Australians.^[1]

The acronym is also used, particularly by Australian Antarctic personnel, for Just Another Fucking Academic.^[2]

Contents 1 Origins 2 Location of prejudice 3 Use in Auckland 4 Jafa TV Productions 5 Local typologies 5.1 North Aucklander 5.2 East Aucklander 5.3 South Aucklander 5.4 West Aucklander 5.5 Central Aucklander 5.6 Hauraki Islander 6 Related words and sayings 7 Use in advertising 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Origins

The word Jafa often conveys dislike for Aucklanders. While only a small part of New Zealand geographically, Auckland makes up more than a quarter of the population of New Zealand, and has greater economic power (mainly through the centralisation of many companies) than its simple population share would indicate. Auckland thus has a dominant voice in many aspects of New Zealand society, only somewhat tempered by the fact that it is not the capital. Aucklanders thus are of the opinion that "Jafa" indicates frustration in the users.

Other factors in the use of the word are Auckland's:

• alleged dominance in national politics and society - a claim possibly somewhat overstated, as much of the political power is concentrated in Wellington, the country's capital. In terms of society recognition, Wellingtonians are also more than twice as likely of being selected to receive Commonwealth honours such as those on the New Year's Honour List.^[3]

• alleged reception of more than its fair share of government funds - though often in the past, as in 2005, it "received less than its share in terms of its proportion of total population".^[4]

• allegedly unfair share of governmental road spending to alleviate its traffic congestion, though again, Auckland has been shown to receive less road spending per capita than the rest of the country^{[citation needed]}

• allegedly being a drain on the national economy. In fact, it is the main business centre in the country, whereas rural New Zealand produces the agricultural majority of the nation's exports. Auckland also produced 35% plus of New Zealand's GDP in 2005.^[4]

• domination of the National Provincial Championship in rugby union in the 1980s and 90s, where Auckland won the championship in 15 out of 30 years and never lost in a final, holding the prestigious Ranfurly Shield trophy for a record 61 successful defences over 8 years.

• separation from the more southern parts of New Zealand via the Bombay Hills. This is seen as a metaphorical Hadrian's Wall supposedly giving Aucklanders a separation complex necessary to maintain their sense of superiority to, and safety from, the 'underprivileged' and 'under-cultured' rest of New Zealand. It is often jokingly referred to as 'The Border' by Aucklanders, and both sides may claim that "New Zealand starts at the Bombay Hills".

• being considered full of rude, greedy and arrogant people, having a similar reputation as those of New York City in the US.

• being considered full of cars and especially SUVs (often referred to by detractors as 'Remuera Tractors', with Remuera being the stereotypical 'rich people's suburb), and its drivers preferring them to other types of transportation,^{[citation needed]} though they have less use for them than the rural population.

[edit] Location of prejudice

• Generally South Island, rural / lower North Island and increasingly Wellington, where Auckland is perceived to take many of the national events supposedly belonging in the capital.
• The strength of prejudice generally increases the further south. It becomes openly noticeable south of Taupo, with it reaching peak intensity in Canterbury and other southern parts of New Zealand. A much published photograph taken in 1997 shows a young boy at a rugby match in Christchurch holding a sign reading simply, "I hate you Auckland".^[5]

[edit] Use in Auckland

• In 1999 the Tourism Auckland organisation launched a "Jafa" advertising campaign.
• Aucklanders initially adopted the word ironically.
• The New Zealand Herald, the main Northern North Island (encompassing Northland, Greater Auckland, and Waikato) daily newspaper, now sometimes uses "Jafa" as a nickname for Aucklanders without any hint of irony.
• This use of "Jafa" amongst Aucklanders, as a positive, self-referential term, has led to the reinterpretation of the acronym by some to mean Just Another Friendly Aucklander.
• In 2004, mayor Dick Hubbard launched a free JafaCab service for the Auckland CBD, by driving a cab down Queen St. The occupants were Nicky Watson and Santa.^[6]
• Sometimes to describe their own population in a general way

[edit] Jafa TV Productions

The term Jafa is also used in the name of an independent student owned film / media group, Jafa TV Productions, run by students of the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology. It describes itself as "an interactive hub where independent filmmakers network with other filmmakers freely and directly".^[7]

[edit] Local typologies

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Auckland's large area has produced various specific JAFA sub-stereotypes:

[edit] North Aucklander

(from North Shore City and the Hibiscus Coast)

The North Shore being seen as a wealthy and upmarket area, and further with the Hibiscus Coast being where the wealthy retire to and the young have a lot of money, the area's JAFAs are seen to be Yuppies, Posh People or Snobs. North Auckland's main (sometimes seen as only) way in and out of the district is the heavily-congested Auckland Harbour Bridge, and it is seen that the population of North Auckland is sustained only by the traffic on the bridge.

[edit] East Aucklander

(from 'Chowick' and increasingly East Tamaki)

New Zealand's immigration policies and proximity to South Asia have led to a large surge of Chinese, Korean, Hong Kong Chinese, Japanese and Indians settling in East Auckland. Auckland was one of the top destinations of Hong Kong citizens leaving the colony before the transfer of sovereignty. The suburb of Howick, due to the large Chinese population is sometimes called 'Chowick'. East Auckland JAFAs are therefore considered to be of mostly Asian descent, speaking little English and owning businesses such as dairies, supermarkets and speciality mini-marts. The population of East Auckland is said to be sustained by the immigration policy at any time.

[edit] South Aucklander

(from Manukau, particularly Mangere, Otahuhu, Otara and Papakura)

Reportedly living a lifestyle similar to that seen in the novel and film Once Were Warriors, Auckland's large Pacific Island and Māori population (with those two ethnicities generally in the lower socio-economic group) is said to be the main cause of South Auckland's high crime rate. This area of Auckland is usually the poorer area of Auckland and would be seen along the same quality living as Compton, Flaxmere, Harlem or East New Orleans. South Auckland JAFAs are often seen as Māori, Pacific Islander tending to violence and crime. Auckland authority and council are working to clean up the image of this area and Auckland Police are looking at new measures to slow the rising crime rate.

[edit] West Aucklander

(from Henderson, Waitakere City)

West Auckland has a varying reputation depending on what happens in other parts of the region, as it can be seen as an upmarket or violent area depending on events in North and South Auckland. When crime is high or high profile in South Auckland, West Auckland is not seen as such a violent or run down area, when crime is stable in South Auckland, West Auckland's reputation tends to decline. When the North Shore is quiet, West Auckland is usually seen as a relatively calm area, when an exclusive or wealthy event occurs on the Shore, West Auckland loses its wealthy look. Residents have adopted the tag of 'Westies'.

[edit] Central Aucklander

(residents of Tamaki Strait to New Lynn and Ellerslie to the Central City)

Residents of this supposedly all-rich and exclusive area share the same sort of reputation as North Auckland JAFAs but live in either inner city apartments or in small Victorian houses on steep hillsides. This exclusive and wealthy few are considered to be the JAFAs that have the most impact on New Zealand's media being the business brains, media journalists and politicians (including Helen Clark, New Zealand's current Prime Minister).

[edit] Hauraki Islander

(from outlying islands within the Hauraki Gulf, particularly Waiheke Island)

Waiheke Island was once seen as a retreat from urbanization for Hippies and Beatnicks years ago, but now the hippie idea is not so prominent, Waiheke and other outlying islands are being used as exclusive and posh vineyards, as well as a retreat for wealthy business yuppies. Aucklanders themselves think people from these islands are just 'strange' and 'arty'. This may be due to the aging hippie population becoming artists and winemakers.

[edit] Related words and sayings

• "New Zealand stops (or starts) at the Bombay Hills" - used by Aucklanders and non-Aucklanders alike
• "Jafaland", "J'land", "Jafastan" / "Jafastani" - Auckland / Aucklander
• "Queen Street Farmer" - Urban businessman with rural investments and supposedly little understanding of rural life
• "The Bridge" - referring to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, usually in connection with traffic issues

[edit] Use in advertising

• Transit NZ has a road safety campaign on State Highway 2 using the term "JAFA" - "Just Another Fatigued Aucklander".
• Transit NZ also runs a similar road safety campaign running north from Hastings using the term "JAFA" as, "Just Another Fatal Accident."
• On Tui beer billboards: "Let's go to Auckland for the holidays. Yeah, right." and "Aucklanders are people too. Yeah, right."
• Waikato Draught Billboard: "Aucklanders Heading South For The Summer, Our Seasonal Disaster" Which was displayed in Huntly, in the Waikato Region. Hamilton Mayor Michael Redman publicly asked the advertising company to remove the billboard claiming that Hamiltonians don't feel that way about Aucklanders (and fear for tourism income).
• In the name of an Auckland taxi company, "Jafacabs"

[edit] See also

• Helengrad (pejorative term for New Zealand's capital city (Wellington), referring to Helen Clark)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Just Another Far-fetched Angle? (Article about the JAFA Advertising campaign) - The New Zealand Herald, Friday 13 August 1999, page unknown
• Jafas live longer and earn more (Example of the use of "Jafa" without irony) - The New Zealand Herald, Friday 8 October 2004, page unknown