The land that brought the imaginary world of Middle Earth is now the land of very real rights for gay people.
According to Al-Jazeera news, New Zealand’s parliament is the thirteenth to legalize gay marriage and the first in the Asia Pacific.
Observers in a public gallery broke into the local love song Pokarekare Ana in Maori after the seventy seven to forty four vote in favour of the bill.
New Zealand has allowed civil unions since 2005.
The law will no doubt cause ripples in a region that has been slow to adopt gay marriage.
Some states in Australia have considered the move.