KIWI AS A BIRD AND KIWI AS A FRUIT AND KIWI AS A SHOE POLISH: WONDERS OF NATURE'S CREATION: SAME NAME BUT MULTIFACETED DOMAIN

The three "kiwis" are connected through New Zealand national identity. The kiwi bird is the national symbol, after which the shoe polish and the fruit were named, in turn solidifying the bird's symbolic status. v Kiwi Bird: The flightless kiwi bird is a unique native species and the national emblem of New Zealand. The Māori people hold it in high regard, and New Zealanders themselves are affectionately known as "Kiwis". v Kiwi Fruit: The fruit, originally known as the "Chinese gooseberry," was selectively bred and grown in New Zealand. v Kiwi Shoe Polish: The global brand of shoe polish was invented in 1906 by an Australian, William Ramsay, who named it in honour of his New Zealander wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay. The popularity of the polish among British and American soldiers during World War I helped spread the use of the kiwi as a symbol for New Zealanders worldwide. To aid in marketing and to avoid anti-Chinese sentiment, New Zealand growers renamed it "kiwifruit" in 1959 after their national bird, which it vaguely resembles due to its brown, fuzzy skin. In New Zealand, people generally refer to the fruit as "kiwifruit" to avoid confusion with the bird or the people.