'Swanndri is a trade name for a range of popular New Zealand outdoor clothing.
The item was widely worn by farmers, but in recent years its popularity has spread and it has become something of a fashion item. The Swanndri company also now produces a range of more urban-focussed garments.
The classic "swanny" or bush shirt is a heavy woollen garment with a lace up section at the neck. Although a wide range of colours and patterns are available, the traditional swanny pattern is a dark tartan which could be described as a 'reverse gingham', with thick criss-crossing stripes of either blue or red over a black base.'
(wikipedia)
http://www.swanndri.co.nz/
My brother, who spent some time in the 'bush' (NZ term for forest)usually pig hunting or shooting possums*, always wore his swanny. The swanny is the essential item of clothing for many New Zealand males who work on the land or enjoy outdoor pursuits.
One day he was in the bush with his dog when Rasta took off after a possum and after two hours of calling, Barry had to face the fact he was not going to come back. Darkness was falling so Barry took off his swanny and lay it on the ground at the place he last saw his dog.
He went off home and the next morning returned to the spot where he had left his swanny and Rasta was curled up on it asleep.
* possums are a pest here and are hunted for their fur. They are slowly eating their way through large tracts of NZ bush destroying the plants as they go. They were imported from Australia in the 19th century.
http://nz-links.blogspot.com/2009/01/polly-possum.html
1 comment:
What a great story! Your brother understands dog psychology perfectly :-)
Here's a current U.S. story, a good ending for an intrepid little dog under tragic circumstances. The little video is fascinating:
http://tinyurl.com/86ywvvn
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