New Zealand

Waiting for the first voice

تا مرد سخن نگفته باشد / عیب و هنرش نهفته باشد
Until a man has spoken, his faults and his gifts both stay hidden.

Saadi, Gulistan, chapter I, story 3

No advice from here yet. Know an elder from this country? Your recording could be the first: 2–3 minutes on a phone.

Sheep still outnumber people: in 2024 there were about 4.5 sheep for every New Zealander. (source)

The role of kaumātua, a Māori elder, does not come automatically with age: it is bestowed by the whānau, hapū or iwi. (source)

of people are 65 or older: 17.6%
people aged 65 or older: 937.6K
will be 65 or older in 2050: 24%
is how long people live after 60, on average: 23.5 years
of people 65+ live alone: 24.9%; women 31.6%, men 17.4%
of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like: 5.3%

Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2018; UN, 2018 census

9 languages, 9 of them endangered

Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.

Record their advice in their native language: 2–3 minutes on a phone.