NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Alf's Imperial Army

Alf's Imperial Army was the creation of The Wizard of New Zealand in 1972 at Melbourne University in Australia. It is a proponent of pacifist warfare and battles against enemies of Her Majesty the Queen using strictly non-lethal weapons, such as newspaper swords, cardboard shields, and flour bombs. Naturally, their costumes closely resemble the uniforms of the British Army, in particular the redcoats circa 1881, familiar to any viewer of the movie Zulu. These events are called pacifist battles (the preferred term) or more commonly, especially by the general public, 'mock battles'. Jump to: navigation, search Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1282x798, 284 KB)Alfs Imperial Army presents for a photo during the PISS campaign, 1989-04. ... Jump to: navigation, search Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1282x798, 284 KB)Alfs Imperial Army presents for a photo during the PISS campaign, 1989-04. ... The Wizard of New Zealand The Wizard of New Zealand is also the Archwizard of Canterbury, a living work of art at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Robert MacDougall Art Gallery, and Cosmologer at the University of Melbourne. ... Zulu is a 1964 film depicting the 1879 Battle of Rorkes Drift between the British Army and the Zulus. ...

The first regiment in New Zealand, The 1st Canterbury Crusaders (later renamed the 1st Canterbury Light Infantry) was founded in Christchurch in 1973 by Antony Catford, who later became the Duke of Wellington. Regiments were also founded in Wellington, Dunedin, Auckland, Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay, Hamilton, Oamaru, New Plymouth, Gisborne, and a company in Takaka. Alfs continued as a feature in New Zealand public affairs through the 1980s and 1990s and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2003. Jump to: navigation, search Wellington city is the area of New Zealand administered by the Wellington City Council, one of several territorial authorities in the Greater Wellington area. ... Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, located in coastal Otago. ... Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. ... Palmerston North is a city in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Hawkes Bay is a region of New Zealand. ... Waikato River passing through Hamilton // Introduction Hamilton is New Zealands 4th-largest metropolitan area. ... pronunciation[?] Waitaki District Council building, Thames Street, Oamaru Oamaru is the largest town of North Otago in New Zealands South Island, and serves as its principal centre. ... New Plymouth is the port and main city in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Gisborne is the name of a unitary authority (in this case, a region and district) in New Zealand. ... Takaka is a small town situated at the southeastern end of Golden Bay, at the northern end of New Zealands South Island. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ...

Its roots were in student politics but as its leaders moved on from campus life it evolved from that into social commentary more generally.

Noted for its wit and sense of fashion the Army injected humour into campus politics and all manner of public events, and provided predominantly young people and especially students with a healthy outlet for their sense of fun and "taking the Mickey" out of sections of society.

Alf's Imperial Army's battles have taken place against many different groups. One of their major rivals was the McGillicuddy Highland Army, and as such Alf's also performed the vital role of preventing the Jacobite McGillicuddy Serious Party from gaining power. Other groups have included nudists, political parties, student clubs, community organisations, schools, TV stations, and even the NZ Police. McGillicuddy Highland Army vs. ... The McGillicuddy Serious Party was a satirical political party in New Zealand. ...

The founders continued their careers in public affairs by turning themselves into The Wizard of New Zealand and the Duke of Wellington, in which roles they continue as of July 2005. The Wizard of New Zealand The Wizard of New Zealand is also the Archwizard of Canterbury, a living work of art at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Robert MacDougall Art Gallery, and Cosmologer at the University of Melbourne. ...

The Army continues in a reduced and less public manner and is now largely based off-campuses. Active regiments are still fighting the good fight in Christchurch, Hamilton, and Oamaru, with detachments in Dunedin, Takaka, and Wellington.

Since the inception of Alf's Imperial Army, other similar pacifist warfare groups — many of them unaffiliated to Alf's — have sprung up around New Zealand. Notable among them are the McGillicuddy Highland Army, the Waitati Militia, and the Czarist Russian influenced First Lindskii Regiment. McGillicuddy Highland Army vs. ... Tsar, (Bulgarian цар�, Russian царь; often spelled Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. ...

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