Ruatoria
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox settlement Ruatoria (Template:Langx) is a town in the Waiapu Valley of the Gisborne Region in the northeastern corner of New Zealand's North Island.<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="GDCOurDistrict">Template:Cite web</ref> The town was originally known as Cross Roads then Manutahi and was later named Ruatorea in 1913, after the Māori Master female grower Tōrea who had some of the finest storage pits in her Iwi at the time (Te-Rua-a-Tōrea).<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley" /> In 1925 the name was altered to "Ruatoria",<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley" /> although some texts retain the original spelling.<ref name="NZARM2002">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Ruatoria's Whakarua Park is the home of the East Coast Rugby Football Union.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
Stats NZ describes Ruatoria as a rural settlement, which covers Template:Convert.<ref name="Area">Template:Cite web</ref> It had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2018 as of Template:NZ population data 2018 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2. It is part of the larger Ruatoria-Raukumara statistical area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Historical populations Ruatōria had a population of 876 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 117 people (15.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 156 people (21.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 435 males and 441 females in 237 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 0.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 29.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 270 people (30.8%) aged under 15 years, 177 (20.2%) aged 15 to 29, 327 (37.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 102 (11.6%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 21.2% European (Pākehā), 94.2% Māori, 3.8% Pasifika, 1.4% Asian, and 0.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.5%, Māori by 44.2%, and other languages by 1.0%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 3.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 31.8% Christian, 5.8% Māori religious beliefs, 1.7% New Age, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 49.7%, and 11.0% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 60 (9.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 351 (57.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 201 (33.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $24,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 15 people (2.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 201 (33.2%) full-time, 63 (10.4%) part-time, and 48 (7.9%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
The town is known for its population of Maori Rastafarians.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ruatoria-Raukumara statistical area
Ruatoria-Raukumara statistical area covers Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 as of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2.
Template:Historical populations Ruatōria-Raukumara had a population of 1,443 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 210 people (17.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 240 people (20.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 750 males, 690 females, and 3 people of other genders in 420 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 0.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 32.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 408 people (28.3%) aged under 15 years, 258 (17.9%) aged 15 to 29, 570 (39.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 207 (14.3%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023 RR"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 21.0% European (Pākehā); 93.1% Māori; 4.0% Pasifika; 0.8% Asian; 0.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.1%, Māori by 44.5%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 1.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 3.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023 RR"/>
Religious affiliations were 32.6% Christian, 6.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 1.2% New Age, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 48.9%, and 10.8% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023 RR"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 102 (9.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 591 (57.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 339 (32.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $24,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 27 people (2.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 327 (31.6%) full-time, 114 (11.0%) part-time, and 69 (6.7%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023 RR">Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
As the crow flies, Ruatoria is approximately Template:Convert north-northeast of Gisborne, and Template:Convert southwest of the East Cape Lighthouse.<ref name="GoogleMaps">Template:Google maps</ref> By road it is Template:Convert from Gisborne, Template:Convert off State Highway 35.<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley" /> It is at the bottom of the Waiapu Valley on the banks of the Waiapu River just downstream of where the river is formed by the joining of the Mata and Tapuaeroa Rivers.<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley" />
Climate
Precipitation is prodigiously high — the annual average precipitation total approaches Template:Convert.<ref name="Weather Network">Template:Cite web</ref> Precipitation is heavy all year-round, yet is particularly prodigious in the austral winter months from May to September. On 7 February 1973, Ruatoria had the highest ever air temperature recorded in the North Island (Template:Convert), the same day the nation's highest temperature was recorded in the South Island town of Rangiora (Template:Convert).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Industry
The principal industries in the district are related to agriculture and forestry.Template:Citation needed Attempts to sink oil wells in the area in the 1920s proved unprofitable.Template:Citation needed
History
Template:More citations needed sectionThe original shop, bunk house and cook house in the township of Tuparoa were destroyed by fire on two occasions between 1907 and 1913. Commerce was moved inland 5 miles to the area known as The Crossroads, northeast of the present town sitting on the area of the first river plain where it drops to the present river plain where the roads went north–south and to the east. (There was a race course on land alongside the Waiapu River below The Crossroads but that was abandoned by the end of the second world war). The Crossroads too was destroyed by fire during the first world war and in 1920 the first general store and accommodation was erected by William Hayes Owen Johnston (1890–1960) on what is now Tuparoa Road. (The shop has been dismantled after his death in 1960) He is buried with his third wife in the cemetery at Mahora on the Tuparoa road just before the junction with the side road to Reparoa. (His first and second wives were of the Gerrard family of Tuparoa and are buried in the cemetery at the top of the hill on the northern side of the creek which separated the old Tuparoa settlement).
From about 1925 onwards, Ruatoria began to replace Tuparoa as the main urban centre of the East Coast district of New Zealand. The transition to Ruatoria from Tuparoa was brought about by the increased reliability of State Highway 35, which at that time ran via the main street of Ruatoria. Tuparoa was disadvantaged by unreliable road access and a lack of all weather harbour.
The Rotokautuku Bridge, connecting Ruatoria to the northern side of Waiapu River, was built in 1964.<ref name="bridgeopen">Template:Cite news</ref> This 1964 bridge replaced the old bridge which had been built in the 1930s. The old piles were used for the new bridge, although they had to be lowered by a metre to accommodate the new bridge.
In the 1980s, Ruatoria was briefly notorious for an outbreak of arson attacks in the town, during a period of severe economic downturn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Significance to Māori
The Ngāti Porou proverb of identity relates to the area — Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu te awa, ko Ngāti Porou te iwi (Hikurangi is the mountain, Waiapu is the river, Ngāti Porou is the tribe).<ref name="NZARM2002" /><ref name="TeAraNgatiPorou">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Ruatoria is within the iwi's rohe, and Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou has offices located in the town.<ref name="TeAraNgatiPorou" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Waiapu River is of immense cultural, spiritual, economic, and traditional value to local Māori.<ref name="NZARM2002" /><ref name="TeAraNgatiPorou" /><ref name="NgatiPorouDeed">Template:Cite web</ref> According to traditional beliefs, a number of taniwha dwell in and protect the river, in turn protecting the valley and its hapū.<ref name="NgatiPorouDeed" /> Taniwha believed to be in Waiapu River include Kotuwainuku, Kotuwairangi, Ohinewaiapu, and Ngungurutehorowhatu.<ref name="NgatiPorouDeed" /><ref name="Affidavit">Template:Cite web</ref>
According to an affidavit of Hapukuniha Te Huakore Karaka, two taniwha were placed in strategic locations in the river to protect the hapū from invading tribes — one near Paoaruku (a locality at Template:Coord), and one at the Wairoa River (a small creek at Template:Coord). Karaka said that a bridge was built from Tikitiki to Waiomatatini, to the protest of local Māori who were concerned that it would disturb the taniwha. The night before the bridge was completed, a storm came washing the bridge away — the weather till then had been calm. From then, one person would drown in the river nearly every year. If it did not happen one year, two would drown the next. A local tohunga, George Gage (Hori Te Kou-o-rehua Keeti) was approached to help the situation, and after that there were no similar drownings.<ref name="Affidavit" />
Marae
Ruatoria has several marae belonging to Ngāti Porou hapū:
- Hiruharama Marae and Kapohanga a Rangi meeting house, a meeting place of Te Aitanga a Mate and Te Aowera.
- Te Aowera Marae and Te Poho o Te Aowera meeting house, a meeting place of Te Aowera.
- Te Horo Marae and Rākaitemania meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāti Horowai, Te Whānau a Mahaki and Te Whānau a Uruhonea.
- Kakariki Marae and Rakaihoea meeting house, a meeting place of Te Whānau a Rākaihoea.
- Kariaka Marae and Ngāti Porou meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāi Tangihaere and Te Whānau a Hinekehu.
- Mangahanea Marae and Hinetapora meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāti Uepōhatu and Te Whānau a Hinetapora.
- Mangarua or Te Heapera Marae and Te Poho o Mangarua meeting house, a meeting place of Te Whānau a Hinetapora.
- Porourangi or Waiomatatini Marae and Porourangi meeting house, a meeting place of Te Whānau a Karuai.
- Reporua Marae and Tū Auau meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāti Rangi.
- Ruataupare Marae and meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāi Tangihaere.
- Rauru or Taumata o Mihi Marae and Rauru Nui a Toi meeting house, a meeting place of Te Whānau a Hinekehu.
- Uepohatu Marae and meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāti Uepōhatu.
- Umuariki Marae and meeting house, a meeting place of Ngāti Uepōhatu and Te Whānau a Umuariki.<ref name="tkmentry">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="maorimaps">Template:Cite web</ref>
In October 2020, the Government committed $5,756,639 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade 29 Ngāti Porou marae, including Te Aowera Marae, Te Horo, Kariaka, Rauru, Umariki, Mangahanea, Mangarua, Reporua and Ruataupare Marae. It also committed $273,890 to upgrade Uepohatu Marae and $232,227 to upgrade Hiruharama Marae.<ref name="maraepgf">Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
Ngata Memorial College is a Year 1–13 co-educational public school<ref name="ero">Template:Cite web</ref> with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students as of Template:NZ school roll data<ref name="moe">Template:Cite web</ref> The college opened in 1959.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiu O Ngati Porou is a Year 1–13 co-educational public school<ref name="ero2">Template:Cite web</ref> with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data students as of Template:NZ school roll data<ref name="moe2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable residents
The area was home to politician Sir Āpirana Ngata, and Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu — the second of three Māori to receive a Victoria Cross.<ref name="TeAraWaiapuRiverValley" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>