Strangely dressed gents in Auckland...somewhat like Amish...who are they?

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Handsomedan

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Topic # 160334 2-Jan-2015 22:29

So I have seen these dudes wandering about before, but never known what they are/ which organisation that they belong to.

They dress in black or grey suits, with black or grey waistcoats, white shirts and hats ... All in velvet with large buttons.

An old fashioned and somewhat Amish looking outfit. They often speak in another language. Maybe German?

Who are they?

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.

JayADee

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Reply # 1207353 2-Jan-2015 22:30

Men in Black?

Brumfondl

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Reply # 1207356 2-Jan-2015 22:32

If they have their hair in ringlets then they could be Hasidic Jews.

Sidestep

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Reply # 1207402 2-Jan-2015 23:19

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Wandergeselle?

We've just had some working here.

Grab them if you can!

JWR

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Reply # 1207424 2-Jan-2015 23:34

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kiwitrc

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Reply # 1207447 3-Jan-2015 06:49

Geeks who read how to dress on the internet before heading outside.

NonprayingMantis

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Reply # 1207480 3-Jan-2015 08:49

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Hipsters

eracode

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Reply # 1207493 3-Jan-2015 09:14

Hasadic Jews?

Batman

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Reply # 1207518 3-Jan-2015 09:47

pictures?

Sidestep

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Reply # 1207559 3-Jan-2015 11:09

joker97: pictures?

Carpenters ready to leave:

Stefan (on the left) is a stonemason

Geektastic

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Reply # 1207691 3-Jan-2015 15:18

Sidestep: Wandergeselle?

We've just had some working here.

Grab them if you can!

What's a wandering gazelle?

Sidestep

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Reply # 1207716 3-Jan-2015 16:34

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Geektastic:

What's a wandering gazelle?

The Wandergesellen (also Naver) are apprentices ready to make a living from their trade. They leave their home and must “wander” for 3 years and one day, surviving on their trade skills.
On their return home they ask their Master to accept them into the trade as a Journeyman.

I watch out for them.. they're easy to spot, offer them Beer & Wurst if they come work for me. They've done some amazing & clever work for us over the years in several different countries.

More showing up in NZ must be to do with airfares getting cheaper, previous employers willing to buy them a ticket, as they're reliant on that to get around other than walking.

Their “travelling clothes” are different depending on their guilds, they can often follow those back to medieval times.
When they work, you feed them, clothe them, provide the tools and materials.
If it's a big job, and done to your satisfaction, you'd write so in their “travel book”

Often they add something special to the job... carve a dragon head into a fencepost, mosaic colored rocks in your stone wall, Parquet a pattern in your wooden floor.
They say it's to remember them by.

They have secret handshakes & signals, signs and meanings.

Some years ago Naver carpenters repairing an old remote coastal batch stopped to ask us who'd previously worked on it.
Locals remembered some traveller boys working on it in the 70's. Dutch, they thought. They must've left a calling card.

Inphinity

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Reply # 1207755 3-Jan-2015 17:53

They have two zips on their pants... at least none of these ones appear to be sporting a Bloodstripe.

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Reply # 1207786 3-Jan-2015 19:26

dress up party?

Geektastic

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Reply # 1207885 3-Jan-2015 23:29

Sidestep:
Geektastic:

What's a wandering gazelle?

The Wandergesellen (also Naver) are apprentices ready to make a living from their trade. They leave their home and must “wander” for 3 years and one day, surviving on their trade skills.
On their return home they ask their Master to accept them into the trade as a Journeyman.

I watch out for them.. they're easy to spot, offer them Beer & Wurst if they come work for me. They've done some amazing & clever work for us over the years in several different countries.

More showing up in NZ must be to do with airfares getting cheaper, previous employers willing to buy them a ticket, as they're reliant on that to get around other than walking.

Their “travelling clothes” are different depending on their guilds, they can often follow those back to medieval times.
When they work, you feed them, clothe them, provide the tools and materials.
If it's a big job, and done to your satisfaction, you'd write so in their “travel book”

Often they add something special to the job... carve a dragon head into a fencepost, mosaic colored rocks in your stone wall, Parquet a pattern in your wooden floor.
They say it's to remember them by.

They have secret handshakes & signals, signs and meanings.

Some years ago Naver carpenters repairing an old remote coastal batch stopped to ask us who'd previously worked on it.
Locals remembered some traveller boys working on it in the 70's. Dutch, they thought. They must've left a calling card.

Huh. Those crazy Germans...! Lived next door to them for 37 years and never saw anyone dressed like that wandering the highways and byways of Britain. (Probably not wise to dressed like that now that I think about it...!) I wonder if Naver is the origin of the British term for workman - 'navvy'?

Since I firmly believe that DIY stands for Don't Involve Yourself, I shall look out for them too!! There's always heaps of stuff we could used skilled labour for.

jpoc

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Reply # 1208429 5-Jan-2015 11:47

Geektastic:
...
I wonder if Naver is the origin of the British term for workman - 'navvy'?
...

That comes from navigator. The original navvies worked to construct canals across England.