In NZ, it was my experience that the word "No" made you think the meaning was "no".

WRONG!

It often meant "I don't know but as you asked in a Pommy accent I ain'tagonna admit it"

Even in the reference section of the Capital's main library when asking about the history of a folk hero.
the next week I got hold of the main person and sheepishly asked again in generic terms and she wanted specifics and when I elucidated she produced a file just about that one thing! A dog.

It was the first but by no means the last example I encountered. Even when challenged they insisted they were in the right!

If they started the sentence with "Awe yea" they were not maybe agreeing with you per se. as in "Awe yea G'day" not to be confused with the Australian greeting, there they just "G'day" you. "Mateo"