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The Very Sensible Fred Dagg Te Ngāwari a Fred Dagg

Shearer’s singlet, gumboots, shorts, floppy hat – who else could this outfit belong to but Fred Dagg? See the iconic outfit created by comedian John Clarke.

  • When | Āhea 26 Jul – 30 Oct 2017
  • Where | Ki hea Level 2
  • Cost | Te utu Free entry
  • Ages | Te reanga All ages
  • Allow | Me whakarite 5 minutes
  • Accessibility | E wātea ana ki
    • Wheelchair accessible

    Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

Iconic Kiwi character Fred Dagg was a national star, loved for his dry, satirical humour.

Dagg was created by comedian John Clarke (1948-2017) and first appeared on television in 1973. This typical farming bloke seemed simple, but had a smart, surreal take on Kiwi culture and politics.

Dagg’s legendary sketches both poked fun at New Zealanders and made us proud. In the words of his famous song: ‘We don’t know how lucky we are.’

People look at the Fred Dagg costume - hat, singlet, shorts, and gumboots - in a display case

Caption

Fred Dagg costume on display, 2017. Photograph by Tim Onnes. Te Papa

Take a trip down memory lane with some of Fred Dagg’s finest moments, courtesy of NZ On Screen:

Blerta Revisited, 2001

(Fred Dagg appears at 0:00 and 2:21.)

(Fred Dagg appears at 4.50.)

We Don't Know How Lucky We Are, 1998

Face to Face with Kim Hill interview with John Clarke, 2004

See Fred Dagg’s profile on NZ On Screen

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