OT: Playing Possum the Kiwi Way!

**racer x-f1** · 05-04-2012 01:56 PM

The Kiwis have all the fun:
Fears over 'possum' drinking game. AUTHORITIES in New Zealand have raised concerns about a student drinking game called "possum".
"Possum" players sit in trees drinking alcohol until they fall to the ground in a drunken stupor.

The craze has reportedly swept the South Island city of Dunedin, which has a large student population, leaving public parks strewn with glass, litter and vomit.

"It's been occurring fairly regularly for the last two or three years," Dunedin City Council's parks manager Alan Matchett told Fairfax Media.

Mr Matchett described the activity as "pointless" and said his staff were tired of cleaning up the mess created by students playing possum.

"What they drink has to come out again, so they do throw up and urinate from the trees," he said. "Obviously, it's not nice to have that left behind."

He said the council was concerned about potential injuries to students and damage to its trees, as well as the inconvenience to other park users from boozy youths nestled in the branches.

The game is named after the brushtail possum, a nocturnal marsupial introduced from Australia which has become a feral pest in New Zealand and is a common sight in urban parks.

Dunedin's University of Otago said the practice was against its code of conduct for students.

A university spokesman said any students caught engaging in the possum game were forced to clean up their litter and faced the prospect of further disciplinary action.

Link:http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/f...-1226346312956

**nzirl** · 05-05-2012 02:59 PM

Much harder to evade the police when stuck up a tree...................

**45 Below** · 05-06-2012 05:26 AM

Hmmm ... don't you love it when your home town makes international news for all the wrong reasons.

I suppose it makes a change from the students having riotous street parties and burning couches.

**MoparsRule** · 05-08-2012 05:20 PM

We called that "College".

**Ferris** · 05-09-2012 08:08 AM

Well in the States its the same except you fall out of the bleachers at the game!

**Indy kiwi** · 05-10-2012 08:25 AM

I just hope a certain semi-American visiting lecturer at a certain kiwi university doesn't fall into the same trap next year. Might be difficult to explain to the Dean.

**45 Below** · 05-10-2012 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Indy kiwi

I just hope a certain semi-American visiting lecturer at a certain kiwi university doesn't fall into the same trap next year. Might be difficult to explain to the Dean.

FYI ... or for the information of that certain semi-American lecturer .... here is a picture of a commonly used possum trap.

**TC in Indy** · 05-10-2012 08:58 PM

I was watching a show called Wild Australia last night and they showed these "real" Australian possums. They too were drinking in the trees, but I believe it was the nectar from flowers.

**45 Below** · 05-11-2012 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by TC in Indy

I was watching a show called Wild Australia last night and they showed these "real" Australian possums. They too were drinking in the trees, but I believe it was the nectar from flowers.

The ones we have are Australian possums which were introduced in the 1800s by some forward thinkers who were wanting to create a fur trade. Unfortunately all they have done for the 150 or so years since is do huge damage to indigenous forests, spread TB to cattle and get run over crossing the road.

**Deutsch** · 05-11-2012 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by 45 Below

The ones we have are Australian possums which were introduced in the 1800s by some forward thinkers who were wanting to create a fur trade. Unfortunately all they have done for the 150 or so years since is do huge damage to indigenous forests, spread TB to cattle and get run over crossing the road.

At least you are good enough to recognise that they weren't simply introduced by the Aussies to cause grief to the Kiwis - that seems to be the popular conception. When does introducing a foreign species ever go well (especially an Australian one into New Zealand)?

**45 Below** · 05-11-2012 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by Deutsch

At least you are good enough to recognise that they weren't simply introduced by the Aussies to cause grief to the Kiwis - that seems to be the popular conception. When does introducing a foreign species ever go well (especially an Australian one into New Zealand)?

To be fair they seem to complain about the number of Kiwis being introduced to Australia.