We were lucky to have the chance to visit the North Island, New Zealand. Where else do you find among modern societies that being barefoot is normal! I’m not talking about being barefoot at beaches or backyards, those are normal. I’m talking about walking around barefoot in shopping malls, sidewalks, grocery stores, restaurants, sight seeing facilities, and even in a walking trail in a forest.
Here are some illustrations for you. Going barefoot in a shopping street in Wellington:
Barefoot at a shopping street, Wellington
Along a pebbly walking dirt path under a very hot summer sun. This guy had to hop along the way because the ground was very hot. (Also notice the extra warn winter fur hat he was wearing, this guy knew the best how to deal with summer!)
Barefoot in Huka Falls walking & cycling trail.
Even in a walking trail in a forest, to see Tane Mahuta, the hugest giant kauri tree in the world!
Barefoot admiring the hugest giant kauri tree at Waipoua Forest
Here is a picture of Tane Mahuta, the kauri tree he was admiring. With the trunk girth 13.77 m, trunk height 17.68 m and total height 51.2 m, this largest kauri tree in NZ is impresive indeed. Wear some footwear though, if you want to walk around there.
Tane Mahuta, the greatest kauri tree. Waipoua Forest
Now, being foot-injured doesn’t mean you can’t stay true to your barefootness! Even though barefoot courage from partner might be needed.
Barefoot with injured foot at the McDonalds fast food restaurant
So, this barefootness is definitely quite common here in NZ, at least in the North Island. Sometimes this could be a serious problem, where they walk around in places where obviously you need a footwear coverage. For example in the walking path of geothermal areas where the ground is hot and sometimes its surface is fragile, where you could find yourself stepping into a boiling mud or pool if you are not careful.
The geothermal area Crater of the Moon. Showing a crater behind me, and a land with hovering water vapour behind it, from the cracks and pools on the ground.
This famous and intriguing geothermal area called Crater of the Moon even made it clear by posting a warning sign in its entrance.
Crater of the Moon warning against barefootness
“If the Shoe Fits, Wear it!”
Now I start wondering how it feel to walk around barefoot like these kiwis (by “kiwi” I mean the people of New Zealand of course, not the kiwi bird). Now, it will be odd if I try this in Sydney where I currently am: nobody does it here. Maybe next time if I’m lucky enough to visit NZ again? Sure I will carry antiseptic cream and some bandage in my pocket, you know, just in case. Or also a pair of shoes or “jandals” in my day pack, just in case I change my mind?
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You said:
“Where else do you find among modern societies that being barefoot is normal!”
Well, it was, in the US, if you have a time machine – 1969,1970,1971,1972…..it was a fad for young people, many did go shopping and do their daily errands barefoot, even in New York City, though the ‘old’ people of the day hated that. At least it was somewhat ‘normal’ among those in their teens and twenties, especially young women. But it all went out of style during the 1980s. Seems that it never went out of style in New Zealand.
Oh wow! I didn’t know that. At least as far as a fad can go, this is probably the least commercialized one: just take off your shoes. Even though the sales of bandages and wound-meds could increase! Inspired by your comment, I browsed around barefootness matter and found some interesting stuff:
Barefoot Running
Society of Barefoot Living (Est. 1994)
Any place where I can walk around barefoot all day long seems like paradise to me!!
NZ is truly a paradise too
That’s was a large aspect of the fad – hippies made it popular, and by 1970 or so it hit the mainstream population of young people – to be anti-fashion, and not buy the latest thing, to totally rebel against pretentious fashion designers and the corporate world telling you what to wear. (During the early 1970s, many teenage girls I knew would often say ‘I hate shoes!’ – the opposite of today.) And, because it just felt good to feel more of the world around you. After all, you do not wear earplugs just because you might hear something unpleasant, you do not wear shades and blinders because you may see something you do not like, and do not wear nose clips because you may smell something unpleasant. You experience your day fully, using all your senses. But by putting on even a pair of flip flops, you are cutting off 20% of experiencing your day. But you also have to realize, that before the 1960s, it was socially acceptable for kids to go barefoot everywhere, including stores and such, in many places in the US, especially in the South. It just was not considered ‘proper’ for adults to do so. The hippie generation broke that ‘unwritten rule’. But most adults had fond memories of being barefoot much of the time or all of the time during the summer. They remembered how they would gradually get their feet tough by taking longer and longer barefoot walks in the spring, and by summer they could walk on anything without pain or injury. But in today’s shoe-obsessed world, the younger generation does not appear to even know it is possible. That once-obvious information was not passed on to younger generations. And yes, sometimes people did get hurt, there is some risk, but then again, there is risk in playing sports – how many people get hurt playing sports, and can’t wait for the injury to heal so they can go back to playing sports again?
If you are curious, read a NY Times article, from Sept 1, 1970, called “Shoelessness on the Rise” – it mentions that it was not uncommon to see barefoot couples waiting in line to see broadway shows, and young women shopping barefoot in expensive stores.
We’re in Australia now and there’s a bit of barefootedness going on here too, but nothing like in New Zealand.
I love wandering around in bare feet. I was in NZ many many years ago, but don’t remember this. It’s one of the countries I want to return to, and next time………bare feet!
Great post!
Thanks Nancie!
I wonder was it like that too a few years ago.
Most of the people are still wearing footwear, but I can spot several barefooter everyday.
I’m going to try myself as well next time I see locals can barefoot and look normal. I did it sometimes when I was small, but not in more public place than inside my school. Now I occasionally do it if my high heel shoes hurt me too much (not an issue when I’m backpacking since I don’t bring high heel shoes).
Ryan, where did you see it? I haven’t seen any of it here..
Shoelessness seems to be most popular with kids and teenagers here in NZ, and much less so with the middle aged and older. You do see some older people going barefoot, but its less common. My view is that a lot of people are doing it just to be seen doing it (maybe they feel it makes a statement about them), rather than for any practical reason. Sure, there are some places (beaches, grassy fields, etc) where it makes sense, but not in the city. Even if you have the toughest rhino-hide feet encrusted with calluses like plate armour, I still don’t see how it can be pleasant to walk over spit, gum, dog poo, garbage, cigarette butts, broken glass, etc. Plus, I’d think it’s easier to just take off your shoes when you get home, rather than have to wash your filthy feet before you relax on the sofa (unless you don’t mind a filthy sofa). Damn hippies.
Yea.. My feet skin is very thin actually, even walking in rough stones, it’s kind of hurting already. I usually live in cities that the side walks are rather filthy, so… shoes on.
(Hey, thanks for coming, Nick! I thought Ryan had replied this a month ago!)
I go barefoot everywhere, including in the city. I fully trust my tough skin, and it’s always more pleasant to walk barefoot, even at railway stations, large outdoor fairs and other places with lots of garbage. I’ve been barefoot for fourteen years and never stepped in anything that didn’t wash off. Dog poo is the grossest but I thought it was pretty gross to step in when I still wore footwear too… I’ve had to wash it off shoes with deep thread in the soles several times, once off a pair of white suede boots, and a few times off bare feet. Guess which of the three was easiest by far?
Glass also isn’t a big deal, I stopped avoiding all but the largest pieces after about a year, and I have NEVER had a cut. Not once. Get a splinter maybe once a year, nothing to worry about. Feet are much tougher than those who rarely walk barefoot think, much tougher even than I would’ve believed when I started going barefoot.
And I don’t mind washing my feet when I come home. Besides, shoes harbor many nasty bacteria, maybe we used to think we could judge how clean something was with the naked eye but since the invention of the microscope, we should know better. Your feet coming out of a pair of shoes may *look* much cleaner than my bare soles, and if streaks of sand, mud etc is the only concern, then you have a point. But if you actually want to keep the couch clean of germs (and especially prop your feet up on a table where you may put food, snacks, drinks) I’d strongly advise you to wash your feet before putting them up, regardless what you’ve been wearing.
I go barefoot because I absolutely LOVE it, I enjoy every step, feeling the ground underfoot, every surface is a little bit different. Some warm, some cold, some rough, some smooth, some harsh and some soft. I don’t do it to be noticed, it’s a lot more noticeable here and it’s a bit of a hassle sometimes when people ask me about it. I just do it because I enjoy it, taking off my shoes was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.
the only place i saw people going barefoot here and there was in Kuta, Bali. It’s very interesting to see it being so common in NZ
keshie´s last blog ..booking tiket
(Sorry I just found this comment, Kesh!)
Yup, I was quite astonished the first time I saw it just walking around the city or forest.
Bare feet are considered more acceptable in NZ because so many people grow up that way. Kids regularly attend primary school barefoot and are encouraged to do all sport and PE barefoot even at high school level. School uniforms at intermediate and high school require uncomfortable roman sandals or heavy black shoes with knee socks. Wearing these uncomfortable shoes probably encourages teens to be barefoot as soon as they’re out of school.
It should be pointed out that it is a regional thing in NZ to some extent. South Islanders and Wellingtonians don’t go barefoot much, even to school. This is probably due to the cooler climate. Smaller North Island towns and cities are the places you would be most likely to see people, even older adults, walking around shoeless.
I think young adults in their 20s go barefoot just as much as teens if not more often. But it does seem that somewhere in their 30s most Kiwis loose their barefoot habits. Although my flat-mate, who’s well into her 30s never wears shoes but for work. She can goes days without putting any footwear on.
I have noticed on trips to Australia that it is much more like the US in respect to footwear. Even in beachside communities in perfect weather everyone has jandals on. I find that odd since the two countries share the same fashion trends in almost all other aspects and because so many Kiwis more to Oz.
Wow Newkiwi, thanks for this great insight! Answer my lots of question about it
Did you use to walk around barefoot too? I wonder how do the people there avoid all of the sharp or slimy objects on the ground, just walking carefully, or NZ roads and public places cleaner in general? Right now I’m in downtown Sydney, and the side walks here have so many bubble gums being spitted on them, doesn’t look very inviting at all to walk without foot wear.
What about wearing socks instead of barefoot? Is that seen as well? I like doing that (sure I have to wash the socks after wards).
Glad I could answer some of your questions Dina. I still do go barefoot much of the summer and a fair bit in spring and autumn as well. I’m 24 so there are a good number of guys my age who still go barefoot a bit. I certainly don’t feel I ever stand out if I’m barefoot. It does seem a bit more common for guys than girls in their 20s. I don’t really worry about rubbish or glass on the footpath much but I don’t live in Auckland central and I don’t think too many people walk around the city centre that way. In the suburbs the footpaths are mostly very clean. Probably because people know the majority of primary school kids walk home barefoot along those footpaths every day. (most parents send their kids to school in shoes or sandals but they get them off the moment they’re in the school gate). I think it helps that unlike Oz we have no deadly spiders, no snakes, and it doesn’t get hot enough to burn your feet except at the height of summer at mid-day. Also being barefoot all the time gives us Kiwi Feet, meaning very tough thick soles that no glass slivers penetrate and sharp rocks don’t bother. I can comfortaby walk on gravel or stand on those sharp metal travelators at the mall, unless it’s early spring and my feet have gone soft from wearing shoes all winter. Kids’ feet are even tougher and I’ve seen many running on sharp gravel with no pain.
Hey, it soudns like a nice place, I personally love being barefoot and I love the idea of a country when is not that weird; I would like to visit New Zealandin the future, maybe next year, for now I’m living in southamerica, I’m 21 and I wish I could run on gravel with no discomfort.
Gio, it’s a truly wonderful place, you should go there sometimes
I wish to have that strong feet too! Mine are too thin (the skin) and sensitive! I mean, if you look underneath my sole, they look slightly transparent with the veins.
I want that Kiwi feet! My soles are so thin, walking in mild stones and rough sands sometimes already give me pain and little pricks (more so than people that I go with). Hey, I’m coming to NZ again soon, I’m so excited for it! It’s going to be in South Island mostly. I guess this time a year in the South Island, I won’t see many barefooter?
Hi Dina
I am sure you will enjoy your trip to NZ, I guess some of the locals can give you good advice in how to toughen your soles up and become a barefooter, so that you get Kiwi feet with nicely leathery, well inured soles. Good luck!
I’ve only been to South Island once. It was in the spring and quite warm but I saw almost no one barefoot. I think even primary schoolers mostly wear shoes. That is except in the far northern parts of island, like Nelson. I guess maybe it’s warm enough there enough of the year for the barefoot style to develop.
Going in winter I doubt you’ll see many people without shoes as it will soon be cold enough for snow down that way. Up here in Auckland it’s been around 12-14C and raining all week but you still see a few people barefoot out in public on a daily basis.
Getting tougher soles can take a little while and it doesn’t make you impervious. For example, even though I have no problem with sharp rocks or hard surfaces I can’t deal with heat. In the middle of summer I’m running across the black tarmac of the car park trying to stay in shadows. But I see plenty of others, who can’t have much tougher feet, walking easily along the burning pavement with no discomfort. I guess I just have a higher sensitivity for heat. Nothing I can do about that.
Anyway you’ll love South Island, it’s honestly like a totally different country to the North. The air feels different, dryer, crisper. The scenery is incredible with massive snow-capped mountain ranges and stunning sights like Milford Sound. Try to get to the glaciers or go jetboating in Queenstown if you can.
Hi Dina,
How was your experience wiuth respect to seeing barefooters and being barefoot yourself on the South Island? Did you finally get to do it?
I was hitchhiking in New Zealand by the end of 2006, beginning from 2007.
I am from Berlin, Germany, where is was quite common for girls in their teens to 30s to go barefoot in the city in the 80s.
Cheers,
Christian