First published in Bay of Plenty Business News January 2025 edition
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 29 January 2025 – 16 February 2026 is the Year of the Wood Snake.
The last Year of the Wood Snake was 2 February 1965 to 20 January 1966.1 1965 was a big year around the world. Significant events included:
- On 24 January, Sir Winston Churchill died, aged 90, shortly after suffering a stroke. After a state funeral, he was buried at St Martin’s Church, Bladon, the resting place of his ancestors and his brother.
- Starting on 12 February, a group of students from the University of Sydney went on a 15-day bus journey, known as the Freedom Ride, through regional New South Wales to draw attention “to the appalling living conditions of Aboriginal people and the racism that was rife in New South Wales country towns”.2 On 21 February, Malcolm X was assassinated when three armed men shot him 21 times as he was preparing to speak in Harlem, New York. February was also the month the University of Waikato officially opened.
- On 3 June, Ed White became the first American to walk in space during the Gemini 4 mission, while on 14 and 26 June Mike Hailwood won the 500cc TT race on the Isle of Man on an Italian MV machine.
- On 20 July, following a failed mass breakout attempt, prisoners at Mt Eden prison in Auckland lit fires that quickly spread along the roof. By the time they surrendered 33 hours later, little remained of the prison other than its stone shell.3
- On 6 August, the Voting Rights Act was passed in the US. The act was designed to remove race-based restrictions on voting and was the result of the Selma Marches, the third and last march being led by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. On 31 August, New Zealand and Australia signed a New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement.
- On 15-16 October, the International Days of Protest against the Vietnam War took place in many American cities and several European cities, including London, Rome, Brussels and Copenhagen.
- On 11 November, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) declared independence from the UK.
Other notable events in New Zealand in 1965 included the renaming of TEAL to Air New Zealand, the Benmore hydroelectric scheme coming on line, the completion of the final link in the Haast Pass road which meant tourists could now travel directly from Westland to Otago, and the ‘stellar’ career of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was launched when she won the Mobil Song Quest.4
Returning to the present day, I wonder if 2025 will similarly be a big year. Aside from further interest rate cuts, the hope of some economic upturn in NZ, and the usual array of sporting events (most notably, for Black Ferns fans, the Rugby World Cup in August-September), maybe the birth of a start-up or two?
That it is the Year of the Wood Snake could be a good omen for start-ups if the traits of those persons born in a Year of the Wood Snake can be shared by entrepreneurs ‘born’ in the same year:
“Snakes are sensitive, effective, and adaptable, positive personality traits often complemented by a considerable intelligence. They are usually amiable and even-tempered, showing a cool and calm exterior punctuated by occasional bouts of perfectly-timed energy and passion.
They move elegantly through the social sphere, armed with their wide range of interests and hobbies, which add to their intrigue and mystery. They’re often artistic, which makes them taste-makers others look to for guidance.
In emergencies, Snakes show their true value by remaining calm and collected, not losing an ounce of their ability to analyze the situation and come up with the best solution while remaining a dependable presence.
In daily life, Snake people are easy-going and fascinating for their mystery while also needing alone time to smooth their sensitivities. If they can learn to be vulnerable, Snake will find a new world opening to them.”5
Happy 2025 everyone. As the famous philosopher S’chn T’gai Spock once said, live long and prosper.
