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jakochampolska said:
Thanks for all the replies! I needed some of that info for a school report, because I wasnt all that sure if other countries force their children to pledge to the flag every morning since they've been in the 1st grade, like they do in the USA.


Just as a side point. No person can be "forced" to say the pledge of allegiance. I thinks thats been before the supreme court at least once and it was decided that it was unconstitutional.
 
There was a phase in primary school where every Monday morning we'd have a flag raising "ceremony" and then sing the national anthem. In the last couple of years in high school, we usually sang it at the beginning of school assemblies (hardly anybody sang mind you). Definitely no pledge of allegiance or anything like that.
 
Applespider said:
Just as well since there's a phrase about 'Rebellious Scots to crush' in one of the later verses which likely wouldn't go down well since it is supposed to the Great British anthem :D
You're right – this verse is hardly ever sung nowadays, though, to avoid upsetting our friends north of the border. Unless of course you're all up to 'knavish tricks' up there, in which case you deserve everything you get. ;)
 
Canada: Of course we had to sing our nation anthem every week with our "real" education.
Hockey Night in Canada
 

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In primary school we used to sing the national anthem.

God of nations at thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices we entreat
God defend our free land

Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war
Make her praises heard afar
God defend New Zealand

E Ihowa Atua
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarongona
Me aroha noa

Kia hua ko te pai
Kia tau tō atawhai
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

It's actually longer than that, but we only sang as much as I've included here.
 
Nermal said:
In primary school we used to sing the national anthem.

God of nations at thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices we entreat
God defend our free land

Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war
Make her praises heard afar
God defend New Zealand

E Ihowa Atua
O ng? iwi m?tou r?
?ta whakarongona
Me aroha noa

Kia hua ko te pai
Kia tau t? atawhai
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

It's actually longer than that, but we only sang as much as I've included here.

Looking at the Maori verse compared to the corresponding English, it seems as though it is not a direct translation. Is that correct?
 
I like national anthems that have other languages in them. I think it's a nice way of acknowledging the diversity of a country and it's history.
 
Nermal said:
In primary school we used to sing the national anthem.

God of nations at thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices we entreat
God defend our free land

We sing that song when the All Blacks are playing the Wallabies - it has different words though, I think you got it wrong:

God of nations at our feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices, bleat bleat bleat
God defend our toilet seats
:D :D
 
*slides back into the thread in a VERY furtive way*

Speaking of rugby, did I imagine this, or did England beat Australia in the last world cup final? :D

*runs back out with head ducked*
 
In primary school we did sing God Save The Queen every morning at assembly and once a week in High School we stood to Advance Australia Fair.

I think a lot of it has been quashed now because Australia has become racial sensitive and banter the word "racist" around too easily (they seem to have forgotten what it actually means) so I guess when we become a republic it will just be a disco remix of multiple anthems from different countries except ours. :rolleyes:
 
UKnjb said:
*slides back into the thread in a VERY furtive way*

Speaking of rugby, did I imagine this, or did England beat Australia in the last world cup final? :D

*runs back out with head ducked*

And the Ashes, but, unlike your cricket team, ours has actually won a test series since.
 
UKnjb said:
Looking at the Maori verse compared to the corresponding English, it seems as though it is not a direct translation. Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct.

Chundles said:
We sing that song when the All Blacks are playing the Wallabies - it has different words though, I think you got it wrong:

God of nations at our feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices, bleat bleat bleat
God defend our toilet seats
:D :D

I've heard that one too, of course :p
 
Netherlands here. We never recited the national anthem except for on "Queen's Day" or when there's soccer (queen's day happened to be last sunday!).

I used to live in the States when I was little. I never really thought twice about reciting the pledge of allegiance. Now I'm not so sure what to think of it. I do believe a lot of Americans are somewhat "over-patriotic". I don't really think there's anyone to blame though. My guess its the country's lack of real long history. Although the canadians lack this too. Anybody have any ideas?
 
mfacey said:
Netherlands here. We never recited the national anthem except for on "Queen's Day" or when there's soccer (queen's day happened to be last sunday!).

I used to live in the States when I was little. I never really thought twice about reciting the pledge of allegiance. Now I'm not so sure what to think of it. I do believe a lot of Americans are somewhat "over-patriotic". I don't really think there's anyone to blame though. My guess its the country's lack of real long history. Although the canadians lack this too. Anybody have any ideas?

Is it Americans being "over-patriotic" or other countries not being patriotic enough? ;)
 
Chundles said:
And the Ashes, but, unlike your cricket team, ours has actually won a test series since.

Yup. Got to hand that to you (and so many congrats). But ---- that is cricket! Not a real game - more like organised loafing around. But well done anyway! :) Um - so here's to the next world cup.

Max_Altitude said:
Nice comeback. Gotta keep those poms in check! ;) :p

LOL - that'll be the day. :) Keep trying, though.
 
Well I'm another New Zealand raised guy, and not once during High School or below did we ever have to sing our anthem. And yes, the Maori is completely different.
 
Airforce said:
Is it Americans being "over-patriotic" or other countries not being patriotic enough? ;)

Over-patriotic. I've never seen so many flags in my life, it feels to an outsider as though you're over compensating for a feeling of massive insecurity.
 
Chundles said:
Over-patriotic. I've never seen so many flags in my life, it feels to an outsider as though you're over compensating for a feeling of massive insecurity.

Well, that's your opinion.

Being an American myself, I don't see it as over patriotic. I love it :D
 
Chundles said:
Over-patriotic. I've never seen so many flags in my life, it feels to an outsider as though you're over compensating for a feeling of massive insecurity.

Definitely. I've been around a fair few countries. And America, yea there are lots of flags and I do think that it is because they are really a new country. feels like their trying to stamp their existence.
 
mfacey said:
Netherlands here. We never recited the national anthem except for on "Queen's Day" or when there's soccer (queen's day happened to be last sunday!).

I used to live in the States when I was little. I never really thought twice about reciting the pledge of allegiance. Now I'm not so sure what to think of it. I do believe a lot of Americans are somewhat "over-patriotic". I don't really think there's anyone to blame though. My guess its the country's lack of real long history. Although the canadians lack this too. Anybody have any ideas?

But then only the first two lines, the rest is sung like "lalala, lala..." (or in case of the soccer players... total silence).

I was amazed when at the day of remembrance (for war (ww2) victims on may 4) our princess (who's from Argentina) was singing along, but or own prince's lips didn't move...
 
I've never had to sing the national anthem at school. Well, apart from when it might have come up as the hymn of the day at primary school. We did have to say the school prayer and the Lord's prayer every morning there. At secondary school all we had to say all day long was 'here' at the register and to be honest a grunt more than sufficed on most occasions!
 
Chundles said:
Over-patriotic. I've never seen so many flags in my life, it feels to an outsider as though you're over compensating for a feeling of massive insecurity.
It was Liberation Day Bank holiday here today, celebrating the end of Nazi occupation in 1945. As I drove down into town I was a little sad to see only two Jersey flags being proudly flown, one about 4" and on a car ariel the other about 4' but upside-down!:mad:

I've decided countries should be proud of themselves (except France of course) and that flag flying is a good thing.
 
jakochampolska said:
Did you guys ever have to stand up every morning at school and say a "Pledge of Allegiance" to your country's flag? Or sing the national anthem with your whole class every morning?

Nope, never done anything like that.
 
Chundles said:
And the Ashes, but, unlike your cricket team, ours has actually won a test series since.

But you've played the Saffers (who are easy - we won last time we played them) and Bangladesh - a phenomenal side (who you very nearly lost to let's not forget). And didn't you have trouble last time you were on the sub-continent?

Actually - I must be careful here. I don't want to upset one of the only other cricket fans on MR. And you are bound to get the Ashes back this winter....
 
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