Subj : Notable Kiwis To : All From : Mike Dippel Date : Wed Jul 08 2026 11:11:22 It's New Zealand Week on WikiTree, in celebration of Matariki, the Maori New Year. Peer wikitree.com I am: 23 degrees from Ed Hillary 25 degrees from Rewi Alley 22 degrees from Brian Barratt-Boyes 26 degrees from Maurice Gee 23 degrees from Murray Halberg 19 degrees from Sophia Hinerangi 28 degrees from Temuera Morrison 25 degrees from Burt Munro 22 degrees from Sam Neill 22 degrees from Maurice Paykel 23 degrees from Ernest Rutherford 25 degrees from Kiri Te Kanawa More about them: Sir Edmund Hillary, mountaineer, explorer, philanthropist. He was the first person to summit Mount Everest. Rewi Alley, social reformer, educator and writer who spent 60 years in China, becoming one of China's most respected foreigners. Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes, cardio-thoracic surgeon who pioneered open heart surgery. Maurice Gee, one of New Zealand's most distinguished and prolific authors, having written over thirty novels for adults and children. Murray Halberg, middle-distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5,000 metre event at the 1960 Olympics. He also worked for the welfare of children with disabilities. Sophia Hinerangi, celebrated Ngati Ruanui guide of the Pink and White Terraces, sheltering dozens during the 1886 Tarawera eruption. Temuera Morrison, actor famous for his roles as Jango and Boba Fett in the Star Wars universe, and as "Dr. Hone Ropata" on the New Zealand soap opera "Shortland Street." Bert Munro, motorcycle racer famous for setting an under-1000 cc world record at Bonneville. His story is immortalized in "The World's Fastest Indian" movie. Sam Neill, actor best known for his role of Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise. Maurice Paykel, businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the major appliance and medical technology manufacturing company Fisher & Paykel. Lord Ernest Rutherford of Nelson, a physicist who is often referred to as the "father of nuclear physics." Kiri Te Kanawa, internationally-acclaimed lyric soprano opera singer. ---- I have some ancestors that were actors, architects, astronauts, Afro-American, authors, bank robbers, boxers, comedians, detectives, ghosts, holocaust survivors Indian chiefs, pro hockey players, singers and musicians, painters, physicians, politicians, poets, popes, writers, WW I heroes. I guess that I am a collection of all of them, as we ALL are. https://www.wikitree.com helps me gather this information with their weekly newsletters. It is totally free and very useful to genealogists. If you would like to find your connections to famous people, you can start by giving me some basic information by going to: https://www.hobbyline.com/genealogy_web_design.htm and click on the 'Request Form' link. I have researched the ancestry for many persons interested in their family history, and I would love to see how WE are related. Mike Dippel https://bbs-list.net List Your BBS For Free * Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1) .