1.
New Zealand
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New Zealand /njuːˈziːlənd/ is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, the countrys varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealands capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland, sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand, in 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, today, the majority of New Zealands population of 4.7 million is of European descent, the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealands culture is derived from Māori and early British settlers. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, New Zealand is a developed country and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, Queen Elizabeth II is the countrys head of state and is represented by a governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes, the Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue, and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealands territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and called it Staten Landt, in 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand, Aotearoa is the current Māori name for New Zealand. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the country before the arrival of Europeans. Māori had several names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui for the North Island and Te Waipounamu or Te Waka o Aoraki for the South Island. Early European maps labelled the islands North, Middle and South, in 1830, maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907, this was the accepted norm. The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised and this set the names as North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu
2.
North Island
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The North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the slightly larger but much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The islands area is 113,729 square kilometres, making it the worlds 14th-largest island and it has a population of 3,596,200. Twelve main urban areas are in the North Island, about 77% of New Zealands population lives in the North Island. Although the island has been known as the North Island for many years, in 2009 the New Zealand Geographic Board found that, along with the South Island, after a public consultation, the board officially named the island North Island or Te Ika-a-Maui in October 2013. In prose, the two islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island, with the definite articles. It is normal to use the preposition in rather than on, for example Hamilton is in the North Island, maps, headings, tables and adjectival expressions use North Island without the. According to Māori mythology, the North and South Islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demigod Māui, Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and this great fish became the North Island and thus a Māori name for the North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui. The mountains and valleys are believed to have formed as a result of Māuis brothers hacking at the fish. Until the early 20th Century, an alternative Māori name for the North Island was Aotearoa, in present usage, Aotearoa is a collective name for New Zealand as a whole. The sub-national GDP of the North Island was estimated at US$102.863 billion in 2003, the island has an extensive flora and bird population, with numerous National Parks and other protected areas. Nine local government regions cover the North Island and all its adjacent islands, healthcare in the North Island is provided by fifteen District Health Boards. Organised around geographical areas of varying sizes, they are not coterminous with the Local Government Regions
3.
South Island
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The South Island or Te Waipounamu is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, the South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres and has a temperate climate. In the early stages of European settlement of the country, the South Island had the majority of the European population, in prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island, with the definite article. Charcoal drawings can be found on rock shelters in the centre of the South Island. The drawings are estimated to be between 500 and 800 years old, and portray animals, people and fantastic creatures, possibly stylised reptiles, some of the birds pictured are long extinct, including moa and Haasts eagles. They were drawn by early Māori, but by the time Europeans arrived, early inhabitants of the South Island were the Waitaha. They were largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāti Mamoe in the 16th century, Kāti Mamoe were in turn largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāi Tahu who migrated south in the 17th century. While today there is no distinct Kāti Mamoe organisation, many Kāi Tahu have Kāti Mamoe links in their whakapapa and, a notable feature of the Moriori culture, an emphasis on pacifism, proved disadvantageous when Māori warriors arrived in the 1830s aboard a chartered European ship. In the early 18th century, Kāi Tahu, a Māori tribe who originated on the east coast of the North Island, There they and Kāti Mamoe fought Ngāi Tara and Rangitāne in the Wairau Valley. Ngāti Māmoe then ceded the east coast regions north of the Clarence River to Kāi Tahu, Kāi Tahu continued to push south, conquering Kaikoura. By the 1730s, Kāi Tahu had settled in Canterbury, including Banks Peninsula, from there they spread further south and into the West Coast. In 1827-1828 Ngāti Toa under the leadership of Te Rauparaha successfully attacked Kāi Tahu at Kaikoura, Ngāti Toa then visited Kaiapoi, ostensibly to trade. When they attacked their hosts, the well-prepared Kāi Tahu killed all the leading Ngāti Toa chiefs except Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha returned to his Kapiti Island stronghold. After destroying Te Maiharanuis village they took their captives to Kapiti, John Stewart, though arrested and sent to trial in Sydney as an accomplice to murder, nevertheless escaped conviction. In the summer of 1831–32 Te Rauparaha attacked the Kaiapoi pā, Kaiapoi was engaged in a three-month siege by Te Rauparaha, during which his men successfully sapped the pā. They then attacked Kāi Tahu on Banks Peninsula and took the pā at Onawe, in 1832-33 Kāi Tahu retaliated under the leadership of Tūhawaiki and others, attacking Ngāti Toa at Lake Grassmere. Kāi Tahu prevailed, and killed many Ngāti Toa, although Te Rauparaha again escaped, fighting continued for a year or so, with Kāi Tahu maintaining the upper hand. Ngāti Toa never again made an incursion into Kāi Tahu territory
4.
Whanganui
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Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The Whanganui River, New Zealands longest navigable waterway, runs from Mount Tongariro to the sea, Whanganui is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region. Like several New Zealand centres, it was designated a city until administrative reorganisation in 1989. Whanganui is located on the South Taranaki Bight, close to the mouth of the Whanganui River and it is 200 kilometres north of Wellington and 75 kilometres northwest of Palmerston North, at the junction of State Highways 3 and 4. Most of the lies on the rivers northwestern bank, due to the greater extent of flat land. Much of the town is on the rivers northwest bank, the river is crossed by four bridges – Cobham Bridge, City Bridge, Dublin Street Bridge and Aramoho Railway Bridge. Suburbs of the include, Gonville, Castlecliff, Tawhero, Springvale, St. Johns Hill, Otamatea, Aramoho, Wanganui East, Bastia Hill, Durie Hill. Of these, all except Wanganui East, Bastia Hill, Durie Hill, both Mount Ruapehu and Mount Taranaki can be seen from Durie Hill and other vantage points around the city. The area around the mouth of the Whanganui river was a site of pre-European Māori settlement. The pā named Pūtiki was and is home to the Ngāti Tūpoho hapū of the iwi Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi and it took its name from the legendary explorer Tamatea-pōkai-whenua, who sent a servant ashore to find flax for tying up his topknot. In the 1820s coastal tribes in the area assaulted the Kapiti Island stronghold of Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha retaliated in 1830 sacking Pūtiki and slaughtering the inhabitants. The first European traders arrived in 1831, followed in 1840 by missionaries Octavius Hadfield, on 20 June 1840, the Revd John Mason, Mrs Mason, Mr Richard Matthews and his wife Johanna arrived to establish a mission station of the Church Missionary Society. Revd Richard Taylor joined the CMS mission station in 1843, the Revd Mason drowned on 5 January 1843 while crossing the Turakina River. By 1844 the brick built by Mason was inadequate to meet the needs of the congregation. A new church was built under the supervision of Taylor, with the timber supplied by each pā on the river in proportion to its size, after the New Zealand Company had settled Wellington it looked for other suitable places for settlers. The settlement was threatened in 1846 by Te Mamaku, a chief from up the Whanganui River, the British military arrived on 13 December 1846 to defend the township. Two stockades, the Rutland and York, were built to defend the settlers, two minor battles were fought on 19 May and 19 July 1847 and after a stalemate the up river iwi returned home. By 1850 Te Mamaku was receiving Christian instruction from Revd Taylor, there were further incidents in 1847 when four members of the Gilfillan family were murdered and their house plundered
5.
Palmerston North
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Palmerston North, commonly referred to by locals as Palmerston, or colloquially Palmy, is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. Palmerston North is located inland, in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is 35 km from the rivers mouth and 12 km from the end of the Manawatu Gorge. It is about 140 km north of the capital, Wellington, the city covers a land area of 395 square kilometres. The citys location was once more than a clearing in a forest and occupied by small communities of indigenous Māori. In the mid 19th century, it was discovered and settled by Europeans, on foundation, the settlement was bestowed the name Palmerston, in honour of Viscount Palmerston, a former Prime Minister of Great Britain. The suffix North was added in 1871 by the Post Office to distinguish the settlement from Palmerston in the South Island, the Māori transliteration of Palmerston North, is Pamutana. However, Te Papaioea is the preferred Māori name, Palmerston North is the countrys seventh-largest city and eighth largest urban area, with an urban population of 84,300. Ngāti Rangitāne were the local Māori iwi living in the known as Te Ahu-ā-Tūranga. He came on a ship and explored possibly as far inland as the site of Woodville. He reported his discovery on arrival back to Porirua, colonel Wakefield heard of the potential that the Manawatu had for development and visited in 1840. In 1846 Stephen Charles Hartley, another trader, heard from tangata whenua of a clearing in the Papaioea forest and he proceeded through the bush and forest. In 1858, the Government began negotiations with local iwi to purchase land in Manawatu, there was a dispute at the time between rival iwi Ngāti Rangitāne and Ngāti Raukawa as to who has the right to sell. The dispute is resolved in favour of Rangitāne, in 1864, Te Ahu-a-Turanga Block was sold by Rangitāne to the Government for £12,000, in an effort to open the Manawatu to settlement. Stewart returned in 1866 on behalf of the Wellington Provincial Council and made the original survey, the focal point was an open space of 17 acres subsequently known as The Square. On 3 October 1866, Palmerston was formally endorsed after Isaac Earl Featherston signed a proclamation defining the boundaries of the settlement, the first sections were sold after. Among the first settlers included Scandinavians, who arrived in 1871 and they established settlements at Awapuni and Whakarongo/Stoney Creek. Later the same year, the suffix North was added to distinguish the settlement of the name in the South Island. In 1872 a petition was launched to change the name of the settlement, a public meeting in 1873 ends with no clear decision on the name
6.
Kaikoura
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Kaikoura /kaɪˈkɔːrə/ is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1,180 km north of Christchurch, Kaikoura became the first local authority in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve recognition by the EarthCheck Community Standard. The town has a permanent resident population of 2,080. The town is the seat of the territorial authority of the Kaikoura District. The District has an area of 2,046.41 km². The infrastructure of Kaikoura was heavily damaged in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, the sea level of the bay and surrounding region was lifted by as much as 2 meters. From 1853 to 1876, Kaikoura was administrated as part of the Nelson Province, in 1876 the Kaikoura County was formed. On 14 November 2016, a 7. 8-magnitude earthquake struck the South Island just after midnight and it left two people dead and triggered a small tsunami. One thousand tourists and hundreds of residents were stranded in Kaikoura after the cut off train. The Kaikoura Peninsula extends into the sea south of the town, the town owes its origin to this effect, since it developed as a centre for the whaling industry. The name Kaikoura means meal of crayfish and the industry still plays a role in the economy of the region. However Kaikoura has now become a popular tourist destination, mainly for watching and swimming with or near dolphins. There is also a large and readily observed colony of fur seals at the eastern edge of the town. At low tide, better viewing of the seals can be had as the ocean gives way to a base which is easily navigable by foot for quite some distance. A strategic plan for the future of the Kaikoura coast is being developed by Te Korowai o te Tai o Marokura, the Kaikoura Coastal Guardians. The town has a setting, as the Seaward Kaikoura mountains. Because of this, there are walking tracks up and through the mountains. A common one for tourists is the Mt. Fyffe track, which winds up Mt. Fyffe, Mt. Fyffe owes its name to the first family to settle in Kaikoura, the Fyffe family
7.
Hokitika
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Hokitika is a township in the West Coast region of New Zealands South Island,40 kilometres south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. According to the 2013 census, the usually-resident population of the Hokitika urban area was 2,967, there are 876 people living in rural Hokitika, an increase of 48 people since the 2006 Census. On a clear day Aoraki / Mount Cook can clearly be seen from Hokitikas main street, founded on gold mining in 1864, it was a centre of the West Coast Gold Rush. By late 1866, it was one of New Zealands most populous centres, on 16 September 1867, there were 41 vessels alongside the wharf at Hokitika, in some places three and four deep. In 1867, the port of Hokitika ranked first in New Zealand in both the number of vessels entered inwards and in the value of exports, principally gold. On 8 March 1868 a mock funeral was held in protest about the conviction, the funeral was led by Roman Catholic Father William Larkin and a Celtic Cross was erected in the cemetery. Larkin was later arrested, charged, and convicted of riot, in 1873 Hokitika became the capital of the short-lived Westland Province which lasted from 1873 until the abolition of provinces in 1876. On 20 October, after being spotted by two constables and a local civilian carrying his rifle and ammunition belts, Graham was fatally wounded by a police constable. The population has declined greatly since that time but the population of the Westland District is now on the thanks to lifestyle inhabitants. Almost 30% of the districts rate-payers live outside of Hokitika, Eleanor Cattons Man Booker Prize-winning novel The Luminaries is set in gold rush-era Hokitika. It has become a major tourist stop on the West Coasts main highway route and it is also gaining a reputation for its annual wild food festival which has been running since 1990. Seaview Asylum was once the towns biggest employer, another important industry is dairying, with Westland Milk Products being based in the town. The vast majority of its production is exported, the Hokitika Sock Machine Museum in town has on display a collection of antique sock-knitting machines and invites visitors to knit their own socks. The Art Deco theatre narrowly avoided being demolished, thanks to a coup in the management committee. State Highway 6 passes through the town, Air New Zealand Link provides two flights a day to Christchurch operated by Air Nelson. The Hokitika Airport is adjacent to the town, immediately to the north-east in the suburb of Seaview, a branch line railway known as the Hokitika Branch runs to the town from Greymouth, it opened in 1893 and an extension to Ross was open from 1909 to 1980. In the early 1940s, the Vulcan railcars were introduced and they provided a service between Ross and Christchurch via Hokitika. The mixed trains continued to operate until 1967, and all services to Hokitika ceased when the Vulcan railcars stopped running past Greymouth in 1972
8.
Te Rauparaha
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Te Rauparaha was a Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars. He was influential in the sale of land to the New Zealand Company and was a participant in the Wairau Affray in Marlborough. From 1807, muskets became the weapon of choice and partly changed the character of tribal warfare, in 1819 Te Rauparaha joined with a large war party of Ngāpuhi led by Tāmati Wāka Nene, they probably reached Cook Strait before turning back. Led by Te Rauparaha they began a retreat or migration southwards, conquering hapu. This campaign ended with Ngāti Toa controlling the southern part of the North Island and particularly the strategically placed Kapiti Island, which became the tribal stronghold for a period. Crossing in a flotilla of war canoes under cover of darkness and this decisive victory left Te Rauparaha and the Ngāti Toa able to dominate Kapiti and the adjacent mainland. Following the Battle of Wairoa Te Rauparaha began a series of almost annual campaigns into the South Island with the object in part of seizing the sources of the valuable mineral greenstone. Between 1827 and 1831 he was able to extend the control of Ngati Toa and his base for these sea-based raids remained Kapiti. During this period Pākehā whaling stations established in the region with Te Rauparahas encouragement. Some Māori women married Pākehā whalers and a lucrative trade of supplies for muskets was established, thereby increasing Te Rauparahas mana. By the early 1830s Te Rauparaha had defeated a branch of the Rangitane iwi in the Wairau Valley, Te Rauparaha married his daughter Te Rongo to an influential whaling captain Captain John William Dundas Blenkinsop to whom he sold land in the Wairau Valley for a whaling station. It is uncertain if Te Rauparaha understood the implications of the deed of sale that he signed. Te Rauparaha then hired the brig Elizabeth, captained by John Stewart, to himself and approximately 100 warriors to Akaroa Harbour with the aim of attacking the local tribe. Hidden below deck Te Rauparaha and his men captured the Ngai Tahu chieftain Tamaiharanui, his wife, several hundred of the Ngai Tahu were killed both on the Elizabeth and during a surprise landing the next morning. During the voyage back to Kapiti the chief strangled his own daughter Nga Roimata, Te Rauparaha was incensed and following their arrival at Kapiti the parents and other prisoners were killed, Tamaiharanui after prolonged torture. The last years of Te Rauparahas life saw the most dramatic changes, on 16 October 1839 the New Zealand Company expedition commanded by Col William Wakefield arrived at Kapiti. They were seeking to buy vast areas of land with a view to forming a permanent European settlement, Te Rauparaha sold them some land in the area that became known later as Nelson and Golden Bay. On 19 June of that year, he signed another copy of the treaty, Te Rauparaha soon became alarmed at the flood of British settlers and refused to sell any more of his land
9.
Rangitikei District
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It is located in the southwest of the island, and follows the catchment area of the Rangitikei River. The Rangitikei District Council is the government authority for this district. It is composed of a mayor, currently Andy Watson, and 11 councillors, the Rangitikei District was established in 1989 as part of the 1989 local government reforms. Watson was elected by obtaining 1,983 votes of the vote, Rangitikei District Council is served by eleven councillors elected across five wards. Two councillors are elected from the Bulls ward, one from the Hunterville ward, four from the Marton ward, the mayor and councillors are due for re-election in October 2016. District Council, 2013–16 term, Rangitikei District is one of ten districts located partially or entirely within the Manawatu-Wanganui region, as such it is represented on the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council, known as Horizons Regional Council. Two of the regional councillors are elected by the district in the Manawatu - Rangitikei ward. Rangitikei is located in the electorate of Rangitīkei and in the Māori electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru. Rangitīkei is a safe National Party seat since the 1938 election with the exception of 1978–1984 when it was held by Bruce Beetham of the Social Credit Party, since 2011 it is held by Ian McKelvie. Te Tai Hauāuru is a more volatile seat, having been held by three different parties since 1996, i. e, New Zealand First, the Māori Party and the Labour Party. Since 2014 it is held by Adrian Rurawhe of the Labour Party, the district has an area of 4,538 km². Rangitikeis climate is temperate and has few extremes compared to parts of New Zealand. According to the Köppen climate classification, this climate is classified as oceanic climate, summers are warm with average temperatures in the low 20s. The most settled weather occurs in summer and early autumn, winters are mild near the coast and on the plains, it is colder inland and in the hill country, but often frosty, clear and calm. Snowfall occasionally settles in areas 400 m above sea level, such as Taihape, annual rainfall is moderate and annual hours of bright sunshine can average over 2,000. Rangitikei District had a population of 14,019 according to the 2013 census and this is a decrease of 693, or 4.7 percent, since the 2006 census. There were 5,733 occupied dwellings,912 unoccupied dwellings, the districts population at the June 2016 census was 14,800. Of the residential population,6,951 were male compared to 48. 7% nationally, the district had a median age of 41.8 years,3.8 years above the national median age of 38.0 years
10.
Wellington
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Wellington is the capital and second most populous urban area of New Zealand, with 405,000 residents. It is at the tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. Wellington is the population centre of the southern North Island and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region. It is the worlds windiest city, with a wind speed of over 26 km/h. Situated near the centre of the country, Wellington was well placed for trade. In 1839 it was chosen as the first major planned settlement for British immigrants coming to New Zealand, the settlement was named in honour of the Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo. As the nations capital since 1865, the New Zealand Government and Parliament, Supreme Court, despite being much smaller than Auckland, Wellington is also referred to as New Zealands cultural capital. The city is home to the National Archives, the National Library, architectural sights include the Government Building—one of the largest wooden buildings in the world—as well as the iconic Beehive. Wellington plays host to artistic and cultural organisations, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It has an urban culture, with many cafés, restaurants. One of the worlds most liveable cities, the 2014 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Wellington 12th in the world, Wellingtons economy is primarily service-based, with an emphasis on finance, business services, and government. It is the centre of New Zealands film and special effects industries, Wellington ranks as one of New Zealands chief seaports and serves both domestic and international shipping. The city is served by Wellington International Airport, the third busiest airport in the country, Wellingtons transport network includes train and bus lines which reach as far as the Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa, and ferries connect the city to the South Island. Wellington takes its name from Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo, his title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset. One of the founders of the settlement, Edward Jerningham Wakefield, reported that the settlers took up the views of the directors with great cordiality, in Māori, Wellington has three names. In New Zealand Sign Language, the name is signed by raising the index, middle and ring fingers of one hand, palm forward, to form a W, and shaking it slightly from side to side twice. The citys location close to the mouth of the narrow Cook Strait leads to its vulnerability to strong gales, legends recount that Kupe discovered and explored the district in about the 10th century. The earliest date with hard evidence for Maori living in New Zealand is about 1280, European settlement began with the arrival of an advance party of the New Zealand Company on the ship Tory on 20 September 1839, followed by 150 settlers on the Aurora on 22 January 1840
11.
Cook Strait
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Cook Strait lies between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast and it is 22 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in Māori it has the name Raukawa or Raukawa Moana. In Māori legend, Cook Strait was discovered by Kupe the navigator, Kupe followed in his canoe a monstrous octopus called Te Wheke-a-Muturangi across Cook Strait and destroyed it in Tory Channel or at Pātea. When Dutch explorer Abel Tasman first saw New Zealand in 1642 and he named it Zeehaens Bight, after the Zeehaen, one of the two ships in his expedition. In 1769 James Cook established that it was a strait, which formed a navigable waterway, Cook Strait attracted European settlers in the early 19th century. Because of its use as a migration route, whalers established bases in the Marlborough Sounds. From the late 1820s until the mid-1960s Arapaoa Island was a base for whaling in the Sounds, Perano Head on the east coast of the island was the principal whaling station for the area. The houses built by the Perano family are now operated as tourist accommodation, during the 1820s Te Rauparaha led a Māori migration to, and the conquest and settlement of, the Cook Strait region. From 1840 more permanent settlements sprang up, first at Wellington, then at Nelson, between 1888 and 1912 a Rissos dolphin named Pelorus Jack became famous for meeting and escorting ships around the Cook Strait. Pelorus Jack was usually spotted in Admiralty Bay between Cape Francis and Collinet Point, near French Pass, a used by ships travelling between Wellington and Nelson. Pelorus Jack is also remembered after he was the subject of an assassination attempt. He was later protected by a 1904 New Zealand law, at times when New Zealand feared invasion, various coastal fortifications were constructed to defend Cook Strait. During the Second World War, two 9.2 inch gun installations were constructed on Wrights Hill behind Wellington and these gun could range 18 miles across Cook Strait. In addition thirteen 6-inch gun installations were constructed around Wellington, along the Makara coast, the remains of most of these fortifications can still be seen. The Pencarrow Head Lighthouse was the first permanent lighthouse built in New Zealand and its first keeper, Mary Jane Bennett, was the only female lighthouse keeper in New Zealands history. The light was decommissioned in 1935 when it was replaced by the Baring Head Lighthouse, the strait runs in a general NW-SE direction, with the South Island on the west side and North Island on the east. At its narrowest point,22 kilometres separate Cape Terawhiti in the North Island from Perano Head on Arapaoa Island in the Marlborough Sounds, Perano Head is actually further north than Cape Terawhiti
12.
Wairau River
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The Wairau River is one of the longest rivers in New Zealands South Island. It flows for 170 kilometres from the Spenser Mountains, firstly in a direction and then northeast down a long. The rivers lower reaches are noted for the fertile plain. The river has its outflow into Cook Strait at Cloudy Bay, the Wairau River meets the sea at the Wairau Bar, an important archaeological site. In pre-European and early colonial New Zealand, one of the South Islands largest Māori settlements was close to the mouth of the Wairau. The Wairau Valley was the scene of the 1843 Wairau Affray, there are currently two hydroelectric power stations operating on tributaries of the river. The Wairau Hydro Scheme proposed by TrustPower will operate on a 48-kilometre long canal, up to 60 percent of the flow of the river will be diverted into the canal. A resource consent has been granted for the scheme but opponents have already appealed to the Environment Court, TrustPower - Wairau Valley hydroelectric power scheme Marlborough Online Te Ara Entry
13.
Nelson, New Zealand
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Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson Region. Nelson is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand, Nelson city is bordered to the west and south-west by the Tasman District Council and the north-east, east and south-east by the Marlborough District Council. The city does not include Richmond, the areas second-largest settlement, Nelson City has a population of around 50,000, making it New Zealands 12th most populous city and the geographical centre of New Zealand. When combined with the town of Richmond which has close to 14,000 residents, Nelson is well known for its thriving local arts and crafts scene, Each year, the city hosts events popular with locals and tourists alike, such as the Nelson Arts Festival. The annual Wearable Art Awards began near Nelson and a local museum, Nelson was named in honour of the Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated both the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Many roads and public areas around the city are named after people and ships associated with that battle, inhabitants of Nelson are referred to as Nelsonians. Nelsons Māori name, Whakatū, means build, raise, or establish, in an article to The Colonist newspaper on 16 July 1867, Francis Stevens described Nelson as The Naples of the Southern Hemisphere. Today, Nelson has the nicknames of Sunny Nelson due to its high sunshine hours per year or the Top of the South because of its geographic location, settlement of Nelson began about 700 years ago by Māori. There is evidence the earliest settlements in New Zealand are around the Nelson-Marlborough regions, the earliest recorded iwi in the Nelson district are the Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Tumatakokiri, Ngāti Apa and Rangitane tribes. Raids from northern tribes in the 1820s, led by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa, soon decimated the local population, the New Zealand Company in London planned the settlement of Nelson. They intended to buy cheaply from the Māori some 200,000 acres which they planned to divide into one thousand lots, the Company earmarked future profits to finance the free passage of artisans and labourers and their families, and for the construction of public works. However, by September 1841 only about one third of the lots had sold, despite this the Colony pushed ahead, and land was surveyed by Frederick Tuckett. Three ships sailed from London under the command of Captain Arthur Wakefield, however, after some delay, Hobson allowed the Company to investigate the Tasman Bay area at the north end of the South Island. The Company selected the now occupied by Nelson City because it had the best harbour in the area. The Company secured a vague and undetermined area from the Māori for £800 that included Nelson, Waimea and this allowed the settlement to begin, but the lack of definition would prove the source of much future conflict. The three colony ships sailed into Nelson Haven during the first week of November 1841, within 18 months the Company had sent out 18 ships with 1052 men,872 women and 1384 children. However, fewer than ninety of the settlers had the capital to start as landowners, the early settlement of Nelson province included a proportion of German immigrants, who arrived on the ship Sankt Pauli and formed the nucleus of the villages of Sarau and Neudorf. These were mostly Lutheran Protestants with a number of Bavarian Catholics
14.
Porirua
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Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand, and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. It almost completely surrounds Porirua Harbour at the end of the Kapiti Coast. Pauatahanui Inlet, the inlet of the harbour, is notable for its world-class estuarine values. The population at the June 2016 was 55,200, the name Porirua has a Māori origin, it may represent a variant of pari-rua, a reference to the two arms of the Porirua Harbour. In the 19th century the name designated a district that stretched from Kaiwharawhara on the north-west shore of Wellington Harbour northwards to. The road climbing the hill from Kaiwharawhara towards Ngaio and Khandallah still bears the name Old Porirua Road, in the 19th century a small European settlement grew up, partly because of the need for a ferry across the harbour. At the time a small Māori settlement already existed, the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company opened a railway line to Porirua in 1885, linking the city with Wellington. The railway reached Longburn in 1886 to connect with the Governments lines to Taranaki, with the acquisition of the company by the government in 1908, the line to Porirua formed part of the North Island Main Trunk railway. The railway contributed much to the growth of Plimmerton and Paremata by making day-trips to the beaches from Wellington relatively easy, the line through to Porirua was electrified in 1940 following the construction of the Tawa Flat deviation. The 1880s and 1890s saw the establishment of the Porirua Lunatic Asylum on the hill south-west of the village, following the Mental Defectives Act of 1911, the Asylum became Porirua Mental Hospital. In the late 1940s state planning envisaged Porirua becoming a city of Wellington with state housing. Since then Porirua has grown to a city population approaching 51,000, major territorial additions to the city occurred in 1973 and 1988 as part of the reduction and eventual abolition of Hutt County. Substantial industrial areas, generally west of the city centre, have evolved, during the 1960s Kodak, UEB Industries and many small businesses opened at Elsdon. During the following decade, Ashley Wallpapers developed the former UEB property and after negotiations with the government. On 7 June 1976, New Zealands first McDonalds restaurant opened in Porirua, on the corner of Cobham Court, the original restaurant closed on 24 April 2009, and the store relocated to Kenepuru Drive. The area is administered by Porirua City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council, four years later the population was officially estimated at over the 20,000 threshold then necessary for Porirua to be declared a city. On 1 April 1973 large areas to the north-east were transferred to the city from Hutt County by popular vote, Mana Island was added to the city at the same time. In 1988 a further addition was the Horokiri riding of the county, containing most of the new Whitby suburb
15.
Treaty of Waitangi
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The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand. It resulted in the declaration of British sovereignty over New Zealand by Lieutenant Governor William Hobson in May 1840, the Treaty established a British Governor of New Zealand, recognised Māori ownership of their lands, forests and other properties, and gave the Māori the rights of British subjects. In return the Māori people ceded New Zealand to Queen Victoria, the English and Māori versions of the Treaty differed significantly, so there is no consensus as to exactly what was agreed. From the British point of view, the Treaty gave Britain sovereignty over New Zealand, Māori believed they ceded to the Crown a right of governance in return for protection, without giving up their authority to manage their own affairs. After the initial signing at Waitangi, copies of the Treaty were taken around New Zealand, in total there are nine copies of the Treaty of Waitangi including the original signed on 6 February 1840. Around 530 to 540 Māori, at least 13 of them women, in the 1970s the treaty gained prominence amid greater awareness of Maori issues and grievances, particularly with regard to land claims. Māori have looked to the Treaty for rights and remedies for land loss and unequal treatment by the state, from the late 1960s Māori began drawing attention to breaches of the Treaty, and subsequent histories have emphasised problems with its translation. In 1975, the Waitangi Tribunal was established as a permanent commission of inquiry tasked with researching breaches of the Treaty by the British Crown or its agents, the move showed that the original document was not a firm foundation for the construction of a State. Today the Treaty is generally considered the document of New Zealand as a nation. Despite this, it is often the subject of heated debate, many Māori feel that the Crown did not fulfil its obligations under the Treaty, and have presented evidence of this before sittings of the Waitangi Tribunal. Some non-Māori New Zealanders have suggested that Māori may be abusing the Treaty in order to claim special privileges. The Crown, in most cases, is not obliged to act on the recommendations of the Tribunal but nonetheless in many instances has accepted that it breached the Treaty and its principles. Settlements for Treaty breaches to date have consisted of hundreds of millions of dollars of reparations in cash and assets, the date of the signing has been a national holiday, now called Waitangi Day, since 1974. Between 1795 and 1830 a steady flow of sealing and then whaling ships visited New Zealand, mainly stopping at the Bay of Islands for food supplies, many of the ships came from Sydney. Trade between Sydney and New Zealand increased as traders sought kauri timber and flax and missionaries purchased large areas of land in the Bay of Islands. The purchase of muskets by Ngāpuhi in Sydney began a devastation of the Māori population in a series of as many as 3000 tribal battles known as the Musket Wars between 1807 and 1845. In 1831, thirteen chiefly rangatira from the far north of the country met at Kerikeri to compose a letter to King William IV asking for help to guard their lands. Specifically, the chiefs sought protection from the French, the tribe of Marion, in response, the British government sent James Busby in 1832 to be the British Resident in New Zealand
16.
Kapiti Island
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Kāpiti Island is a small but conspicuous island about 5 km off the west coast of the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is 8 kilometres long, running southwest/northeast, and roughly 2 kilometres wide, being more or less rectangular in shape, the island is separated from the North Island by the Rauoterangi channel. The highest point on the island is Tuteremoana,521 m, the seaward side of the island is particularly rocky and has high cliffs, some hundreds of metres high, that drop straight into the sea. The cliffs are subject to very strong prevailing winds and the scrubby vegetation that grows there is low. A cross-section of the island would show almost a right-angled triangle, the islands vegetation is dominated by scrub and forest of kohekohe, tawa, and kanuka. Most of the forest is regenerating after years of burn-offs and farming and its name has been used since 1989 by the Kāpiti Coast District Council, which includes towns such as Paekakariki, Raumati, Paraparaumu and Waikanae. In the 18th and 19th centuries Māori settled on the island, te Rauparaha formed a base here, and his Ngāti Toa tribe regularly sailed in canoes on raiding journeys up to the Whanganui River and down to Marlborough. In the Battle of Wairo the Ngāti Toa destroyed a force of 2,000 mainland warriors who had landed at the end of Kāpiti in an attempt to capture the island. The sea nearby was a nursery for whales, and during whaling times 2,000 people were based on the island, oil was melted from the blubber and shipped to America for use in machinery, before petroleum was used. Although whales can be seen every year during birthing season. The conservation potential of the island was seen as early as 1870 and it was reserved as a bird sanctuary in 1897 but it was not until 1987 that the Department of Conservation took over the administration of the island. In the 1980s and 1990s efforts were made to return the island to a state, first sheep. In an action few thought possible for an island of its size, in 2003 the anonymous Biodiversity Action Group claimed to have released 11 possums on the island. No evidence of the introduced possums has been found, the island is the site of Kapiti Island Nature Reserve and adjoins the Kāpiti Marine Reserve. Most of it is in New Zealand Crown ownership, the island is home to a number of native birds, mostly re-introduced. These include takahe, North Island kōkako, brown teal, stitchbird, North Island saddleback, tomtit, fantail, morepork, weka and North Island robin. The brown kiwi and little spotted kiwi were released on the island between 1890 and 1910, and the island is now the stronghold for the latter species. In April 2005, the critically endangered short-tailed bat was introduced to the island from a population in the Tararuas, providing them with a separate
17.
Hutt Valley
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The Hutt Valley is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Like the river flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt. The river flows roughly along the course of a geologic fault. For this reason, the land rises abruptly to the west of the river, the higher of these is between 15 and 22 km from the mouth of the river. Beyond this, the river is confined by a steep-sided gorge near Taita. The valley forms a major suburban area for Wellington, and is a location for manufacturing and heavy industry, educational and recreational facilities. Petone, on the Wellington Harbour shoreline, was proposed as the site for the settlement of Wellington by the New Zealand Company. However, as the site was soon seen to be prone to river flooding. A small settlement remained at the Petone site as the valley was believed to be well suited as farm land. In 1846 there was fighting between Māori tribes and the Government, known as the Hutt Valley Campaign, almost the whole valley was clearfelled and converted to pasture or market gardens before the urbanisation of the 20th century. A small remnant of the early podocarp forest is preserved in Bartons Bush in Upper Hutt, Hutt City Council Upper Hutt City Council
18.
New Zealand Company
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The New Zealand Company was a 19th-century English company that played a key role in the colonisation of New Zealand. The company was formed to carry out the principles of systematic colonisation devised by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, the New Zealand Company established settlements at Wellington, Nelson, Wanganui and Dunedin and also became involved in the settling of New Plymouth and Christchurch. It reached the peak of efficiency about 1841, encountered problems from 1843 from which it never recovered. The company indulged in many land purchases from Māori, in many cases reselling land it did not own. The company, in turn, was criticised by the Colonial Office and New Zealand Governors for its trickery. Missionaries in New Zealand were also critical of the company, fearing its activities would lead to the “conquest, britains Colonial Secretary rejected the proposal. The earliest organised attempt to colonise New Zealand came in 1825, on 5 March 1826 the ships, Lambton and Rosanna, reached Stewart Island, which Herd explored and then dismissed as a possible settlement, before sailing north to inspect land around Otago Harbour. Herd was unconvinced that area was the location and sailed instead for Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The ships then sailed up the east coast to explore prospects for trade, stopping at the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Islands. In January 1827 Herd surveyed parts of the harbour at Hokianga, the price for the land was five muskets, fifty three pounds powder, four pair blankets, three hundred flints and four musket cartridge boxes. The venture had cost the New Zealand Company ₤20,000, the failure of Lambtons project came to the attention of 30-year-old aspiring politician Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who was serving three years in jail for abducting a 15-year-old heiress. Wakefields plan entailed a company buying land from the residents of Australia or New Zealand very cheaply, then selling it to speculators. The immigrants would provide the labour to break in the gentlemens lands and they would eventually be able to buy their own land, but high land prices and low rates of pay would ensure they first laboured for many years. In May 1830 Wakefield was released from prison and joined the National Colonisation Society, whose committee included Wilmot-Horton, nine MPs and three clergymen. Wakefields influence within the society grew and by the end of the year his plans for colonisation of Australasia had become the central focus of the societys pamphlets. Land in the town of Adelaide was offered at ₤1 an acre on maps showing town, in March 1836 a survey party sailed for South Australia and the first emigrants followed four months later. Wakefield claimed all credit for the establishment of the colony, but was disappointed with the outcome, instead, in late 1836, he set his sights on New Zealand, where his theories of systematic colonisation could be put into full effect. Wakefield formed the New Zealand Association, and on 22 May 1837 chaired its first meeting, which was attended by ten others including MPs Molesworth and William Hutt, and R. S
19.
Wairau Affray
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Fighting broke out and 22 British settlers were killed, several after their surrender. Four Māori were killed, including the wife of Te Rangihaeata, the incident heightened fears among settlers of an armed Māori insurrection. It created the first major challenge for Governor Robert FitzRoy, who took up his posting in New Zealand six months later, FitzRoy investigated the incident and exonerated Te Rauparaha and Te Rangihaeata, for which he was strongly criticised by settlers and the New Zealand Company. In 1844 a land claims commission investigation determined that the Wairau Valley had not been legally sold, the government was to pay compensation to the Rangitane iwi, determined to be the original owners. The New Zealand Company had built a settlement around Nelson in the north of the South Island in 1840, the settlers began to purchase large areas of land directly from Māori, without consulting the newly established colonial government and often without establishing vendors rights to sell the land. The situation led to tension and caused disputes between the two parties, in January 1843 Captain Arthur Wakefield had been dispatched by the New Zealand Company to lead the first group of settlers to Nelson. He was the brother of Colonel Edward Gibbon Wakefield, one of the principal officers of the company. Arthur wrote to Edward that he had located the required amount of land at Wairau, a distance of about 25 km from Nelson. He said he held a deed to the land, having bought it in 1839 from the widow of a whaling Captain John Blenkinsopp, Wakefield wrote to the company in March 1843, I rather anticipate some difficulty with the natives. The source of the difficulty was simple, the chiefs Te Rauparaha and Te Rangihaeata, along with their kinsmen of Ngāti Toa. But similar disputes had been settled through negotiation, and Te Rauparaha was willing to negotiate on the Wairau land. In January 1843 Nohorua, the brother of Te Rauparaha. Two months later Te Rauparaha and Te Rangihaeata arrived in Nelson, based in Wellington, he had begun investigating all the claimed purchases of the New Zealand Company. Spain later wrote that during that visit, Arthur Wakefield wished to make them a payment for the Wairau, but they refused to sell it. Arthur Wakefield rejected the request to wait for Spains enquiry, informing Te Rauparaha that if local Māori interfered with company surveyors on the land, Wakefield duly despatched three parties of surveyors to the land. They were promptly warned off by local Māori, who damaged the surveyors tools, Te Rauparaha and Nohorua wrote to Spain on 12 May, urgently asking him to travel to the South Island to settle the companys claim to Wairau. Spain replied that he would do so when his business in Wellington was complete. A month later, with no sign of Spain, Te Rauparaha led a party to Wairau
20.
George Grey
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Sir George Grey, KCB was a British soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony, the 11th Premier of New Zealand and a writer. By political philosophy a Gladstonian liberal and Georgist, Grey eschewed the class system for the life of Aucklands new governance he helped to establish. Grey was born in Lisbon, Portugal, the son of Bvt. Lieutenant-Colonel George Grey, of the 30th Regiment of Foot, who was killed at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain just a few days before. His mother, Elizabeth Anne née Vignoles, on the balcony of her hotel in Lisbon and she was the daughter of a retired soldier turned Irish clergyman, Major later Rev. John Vignoles. Greys grandfather was Owen Wynne Gray, Greys uncle was John Gray, who was Owen Wynne Grays son from his second marriage. Grey was sent to the Royal Grammar School, Guildford in Surrey, early in 1830, he was gazetted ensign in the 83rd Regiment of Foot. In 1830, his regiment having been sent to Ireland, he developed much sympathy with the Irish peasantry whose misery made an impression on him. He was promoted lieutenant in 1833 and obtained a certificate at the examinations of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In 1837, at the age of 25, Grey led a catastrophically ill-prepared expedition of exploration of north-west Australia – only one man of his party had seen northern Australia before. It was at that time believed that a great river entered the Indian Ocean from the north-west of Australia, others joined the party at Cape Town, and early in December they landed at Hanover Bay. Wrecked, almost drowned, and completely lost, with Grey speared in the hip in a skirmish with Aborigines and they were picked up by the Beagle and Lynher and taken to Mauritius to recover. At about this time, Grey became one of the few Europeans to learn the Noongar language of south-west Western Australia, on 2 November 1839 at King George Sound, Grey married Eliza Lucy Spencer, daughter of the late Government Resident. Their only child, born in 1841 in South Australia, died aged 5 months and it was not a happy marriage. She lived a life of misery until old age brought a formal reunion, Grey adopted Annie Maria Matthews in 1861, following the death of her father, his half-brother, Sir Godfrey Thomas. She married Seymour Thorne George on 3 December 1872 on Kawau Island, Grey was the third Governor of South Australia, from 1841 to 1845, as a replacement for George Gawler, under whose stewardship the colony had become bankrupt. Gawler was also responsible for the illegal retribution exacted by Major OHalloran on an Aboriginal tribe. Grey served as Governor of New Zealand twice, from 1845 to 1853 and he was arguably the most influential figure during the European settlement of New Zealand during much of the 19th century
21.
Auckland
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Auckland is a city in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the most populous area in the country. Auckland has a population of 1,495,000, which constitutes 32 percent of New Zealands population, a diverse and multicultural city, Auckland is home to the largest Polynesian population in the world. It has also been called Ākarana, the Māori pronunciation of Auckland, the Auckland urban area ranges to Waiwera in the north, Kumeu in the northwest, and Runciman in the south. It is not contiguous, the section from Waiwera to Whangaparāoa Peninsula is separate from its nearest neighbouring suburb of Long Bay, the surrounding hills are covered in rainforest and the landscape is dotted with dozens of dormant volcanic cones. The central part of the area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two major bodies of water. The isthmus on which Auckland resides was first settled around 1350 and was valued for its rich, Māori population in the area is estimated to have peaked at 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans. After a British colony was established in 1840, the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson and he named the area Auckland for George Eden, Earl of Auckland, British First Lord of the Admiralty. It was replaced as the capital in 1865, but immigration to the new city stayed strong, today, Aucklands Central Business District is the major financial centre of New Zealand. Auckland is classified as a Beta World City because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, education and tourism. Aucklands landmarks such as the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the Harbour Bridge, the Sky Tower, the isthmus was settled by Māori around 1350, and was valued for its rich and fertile land. Many pā were created, mainly on the volcanic peaks, Māori population in the area is estimated to have been about 20,000 people before the arrival of Europeans. As a result, the region had relatively low numbers of Māori when European settlement of New Zealand began, there is, however, nothing to suggest that this was the result of a deliberate European policy. Auckland was officially declared New Zealands capital in 1841 and the transfer of the administration from Russell in the Bay of Islands was completed in 1842. However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson was seen as a choice for an administrative capital because of its proximity to the South Island. After losing its status as capital, Auckland remained the city of the Auckland Province until the provincial system was abolished in 1876. Each of the four settlements had about 800 settlers, the men being fully armed in case of emergency but spent nearly all their time breaking in the land and establishing roads
22.
Otaki, New Zealand
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It is located on New Zealand State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk railway between Wellington and Auckland and marks the northernmost point of the Wellington Region. The construction of the Kapiti Expressway and the Transmission Gully Motorway are currently underway, in the 2013 census the towns population was 5,778, a slight increase since the 2006 census. The town is sited close to the banks of the Otaki River,4 kilometres from its outflow into the Tasman Sea, there are recreational walks and cycling along the river and north of the mouth of the river is Otaki Beach. The safe sandy beach is popular as a swimming and fishing destination, the surrounding district includes Te Horo and Manakau with its beach settlement at Waikawa Beach. The district is agricultural, with gardens and lifestyle blocks. The local paper is the Otaki Mail, Otaki is home to Te Wānanga o Raukawa a Tikanga Māori university. It also hosts the annual Maoriland Film Festival and Otaki Kite Festival, Otaki Forks is the western gateway to the Tararua Forest Park. Since the early 19th century, the area has been home to Māori of the Ngati Raukawa iwi who had migrated from the Kāwhia area from about 1819 and they had supplanted the Rangitāne and Muaūpoko people. At the request of Te Rauparaha, missionaries Henry Williams and Octavius Hadfield visited the area in December, at the nearby Raukawa marae is the Rangiātea Church, the original of which was completed in 1851. Burnt down in 1995, it was rebuilt by 2003. Inland from the township is the Otaki Racecourse, home of the Otaki Maori Racing Club since 1886, sir William Walkley, oil company executive
23.
Haka
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The haka is a traditional war cry, dance, or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements. The New Zealand sports teams practice of performing a haka before their matches has made the haka more widely known around the world. This tradition began with the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team tour and has carried on by the New Zealand rugby team since 1905. Although the use of haka by the All Blacks rugby union team, most haka are performed by men. There are however some haka which are performed predominantly by women – one of the most well-known being the Ngāti Porou haka Ka Panapana, in modern times, various haka have been composed to be performed by women and even children. Haka are performed for reasons, for welcoming distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements. War haka were performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength. Today, haka constitute a part of formal or official welcome ceremonies for distinguished visitors or foreign dignitaries. As well as chanted words, a variety of cries and grunts are used, Haka may be understood as a kind of symphony in which the different parts of the body represent many instruments. The hands, arms, legs, feet, voice, eyes, tongue, the various types of haka include whakatu waewae, tutu ngarahu and peruperu. The peruperu is characterised by leaps during which the legs are pressed under the lower body, in former times, the peruperu was performed before a battle in order to invoke the god of war and to discourage and frighten the enemy. It involved fierce facial expressions and grimaces, poking out of the tongue, eye bulging, grunts and cries, if the haka was not performed in total unison, this was regarded as a bad omen for the battle. Often, warriors went naked into battle, apart from a flax belt around the waist. The tutu ngarahu also involves jumping, but from side to side, another kind of haka performed without weapons is the ngeri, the purpose of which was to motivate the warriors psychologically. The movements are very free, and each performer is expected to be expressive of their feelings, manawa wera haka were generally associated with funerals or other occasions involving death. Like the ngeri they were performed without weapons, and there was little or no choreographed movement, the most well-known haka is Ka Mate, attributed to Te Rauparaha, war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe. The Ka Mate haka is classified as a haka taparahi – a ceremonial haka, Ka Mate is about the cunning ruse Te Rauparaha used to outwit his enemies, and may be interpreted as a celebration of the triumph of life over death
24.
Ka Mate
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Ka Mate is a Māori haka composed by Te Rauparaha, war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe of the North Island of New Zealand. Te Rauparaha composed Ka Mate circa 1820 as a celebration of life over death after his escape from pursuing Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato enemies. He had hidden them in a food-storage pit, and climbed back into the light to be met by a chief friendly to him – Te Whareangi. Since 2005 the All Blacks have occasionally performed another haka, Kapa o Pango, since the introduction of Kapa o Pango the longest sequence of Ka Mate performances by the All Blacks is nine, which occurred between August 22,2009 and June 12,2010. Between 1998 and 2006, Ngati Toa attempted to trademark Ka Mate to prevent its use by commercial organisations without their permission, in March 2011 The NZ Rugby Union came to an amicable agreement with the iwi not to bring the mana of the haka into disrepute. In 2009, as a part of a settlement of grievances
25.
Marae
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A marae malaʻe, meʻae, malae and mālaʻe is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the word also means cleared, free of weeds, trees, in the Rapanui culture of Easter Island ahu has become a synonym for the whole marae complex). In some modern Polynesian societies, notably that of the Māori of New Zealand, however, in tropical Polynesia, most marae were destroyed or abandoned with the arrival of Christianity in the 19th century and some of them have become an attraction for tourists or archaeologists. Nevertheless, the place where the marae were built are still considered as tapu in most islands, the word has been reconstructed by linguists to Eastern Oceanic *malaqe with the meaning open, cleared space used as meeting-place or ceremonial place. Like the related institutions of old Polynesia, the marae is a wāhi tapu, in Māori usage, the marae atea is the open space in front of the wharenui or meeting house. However, the marae is generally used to refer to the whole complex, including the buildings. This area is used for pōwhiri – welcome ceremonies featuring oratory, some marae do not allow women to perform oratory there. The meeting house is the locale for important meetings, sleepovers, the wharekai is used primarily for communal meals, but other activities may be carried out there. Many of the associated with marae in tropical Polynesia are retained in the Māori context. For example, the word refers to the bench where the speakers sit. Marae occur in various sizes, with some wharenui being a bit bigger than a double garage, a marae is a meeting place registered as a reserve under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993. Each marae has a group of trustees who are responsible for the operations of the marae, the Act governs the regulation of marae as reservations and sets out the responsibilities of the trustees in relation to the beneficiaries. Generally each marae has a charter which the trustees have negotiated with the beneficiaries of the marae, the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute Act,1963 was passed and the institute built to maintain the tradition of Whakairo. The NZMACI is responsible for the restoration and building of over 40 marae around New Zealand, like in pre-European times, marae continue to be the location of many ceremonial events, including birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. The most important event located at marae is the tangihanga, tangihanga are the means by which the dead are farewelled and the surviving family members supported in Māori society. As indicated by Kaai and Higgins, the importance of the tangihanga, most iwi, hapū, and even many small settlements have their own marae. An example of such a settlement with its own marae is at Hongoeka Bay, Plimmerton. Since the second half of the 20th century, Māori in urban areas have been establishing intertribal marae such as Maraeroa in eastern Porirua, for many Māori, the marae is just as important to them as their own homes
26.
Taranaki
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Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealands North Island, administered by the Taranaki Regional Council. It is named for its main feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth, the New Plymouth District has over 65% of the population of Taranaki. New Plymouth is in North Taranaki along with Inglewood and Waitara, South Taranaki towns include Hawera, Stratford and Etham. Since 2005, Taranaki has used the promotional brand Like no other, Taranaki is on the west coast of the North Island, surrounding the volcanic peak. The region has an area of 7258 km², the large bays north-west and south-west of Cape Egmont are the prosaically named North Taranaki Bight and South Taranaki Bight. Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont, the second highest mountain in the North Island, is the dominant feature of the region. A Māori legend says that Taranaki previously lived with the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu mountains of the central North Island, a near-perfect cone, it last erupted in the mid-18th century. The mountain and its immediate surrounds form Egmont National Park, the mountain has two alternative official names, Mount Taranaki and Mount Egmont. The region is fertile, thanks to generous rainfall and the rich volcanic soil. Dairy farming predominates, with Fonterras Whareroa milk factory just outside of Hawera producing the largest volume of dairy ingredients from a single anywhere in the world. There are also oil and gas deposits in the region, both on- and off-shore, the Maui gas field off the south-west coast has provided most of New Zealands gas supply as well as, at one time supporting two methanol plants at Motunui. More fuel and fertiliser is produced from a well-complex at Kapuni, the way the land mass projects into the Tasman Sea with northerly, westerly and southerly exposures results in many excellent surfing and windsurfing locations, some of them considered world-class. Taranaki has a population of 116,600 as of Statistics New Zealands June 2016,2.5 percent of New Zealands population and it is the tenth most populous region of New Zealand. The median age of Taranakis population is 39.9 years, around 16.2 percent of the population is aged 65 or over while 21.1 percent is aged under 15. There are 95.7 males for every hundred females in Taranaki, just under half the residents live in New Plymouth, with Hawera being the only other town in the region with a population over 10,000. The region has had a strong Māori presence for centuries, the local iwi include Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Ruanui, Taranaki, Te Āti Awa, Nga Rauru, Ngāruahinerangi and Ngāti Tama. Around 50.2 percent of Taranakis population affiliate with Christianity and 2.7 percent affiliate with non-Christian religions, catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in Taranaki with 15.5 percent affiliating, while Anglicanism is the second-largest with 13.5 percent affiliating
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Urenui
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Urenui is a settlement in northern Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3 close to the shore of the North Taranaki Bight,13 kilometres east of Waitara and 6 km south-west of Mimi, the Urenui River flows past the settlement into the North Taranaki Bight. Approximately 3 km eastward of the town is the Urenui Marae, the population was 429 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 12 from 2001. Mail sent to addresses at Urenui must show both a PO box number and a street address, Urenui School is a coeducational contributing primary school with a decile rating of 5 and a roll of 86. The school was founded in 1876 and celebrated its 125th jubilee in 2001, māui Pōmare, politician Ngati Mutunga Taranaki Region Messenger, A. H. Retrieved 2008-01-29
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Motunui
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Motunui is a settlement in northern Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3 close to the shore of the North Taranaki Bight, Motunui is the location of the Motunui methanol plant, the largest in the world at the time of construction. It was opened in 1986 to convert natural gas to methanol, the plant was one of the Think Big projects of the Third National Government. The plant instead produced methanol for export, production of methanol ceased in 2004 as the approaching depletion of the Maui gas field raised gas prices. In 2005, an unmanned production station for the new offshore Pohokura oil/gas field was constructed immediately west of the Motunui plant and this began commercial production in September 2006. In 2008, methanol train No.2 was recommissioned followed by train No.1 in 2012, currently owned and operated by Methanex, the plants two trains have a total annual production capacity of 2.4 million tonnes of methanol
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Horowhenua
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Horowhenua is a district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It forms part of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region and its name roughly means shaking or rippling earth. The main town and seat of the council is Levin, and other towns in the district include Foxton, Shannon. The population of the district is 31,900, Levin Ward Waiopehu Ward Miranui Ward Kere Kere Ward Much of the area was once an extensive wetland and the centre of a substantial flax industry. It has been drained and converted to productive but flood-prone farmland, with a mixture of loam. Some parts of the wetland, particularly those around Lake Horowhenua are being returned to their state as a conservation area. One of the tribal authorities is the Muaūpoko Tribal Authority. In cricket, a Horowhenua-Kapiti team has competed in the Hawke Cup since 2002, Official website Official Tourism website Horowhenua facebook page
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Kapiti Coast
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The Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council, the Kapiti Coast District stretches from Paekakariki in the south through Otaki in the north. It includes the towns of Te Horo, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Raumati Beach, Otaki, and Raumati South, and smaller such as Emerald Glen, Lindale, Maungakotukutuku, Otaihanga. The district extends inland to the top of the Tararua Range, Kapiti is possibly most famous for its island, Kapiti Island. Most of the island is a bird sanctuary, where a permit is required to visit. The area has a climate with moderate temperature swings between seasons, resulting in warm summers and mild winters without any severe heat waves or cold spells. Māori chief Te Rauparaha established a base on Kapiti Island, and from this position, Te Rauparaha sold him land in the Nelson and Golden Bay area. The line was opened in 1886, with the final spike driven in on the Kapiti Coast at Otaihanga, in 1908, the WMR was purchased by the New Zealand Railways Department, who incorporated the line into the North Island Main Trunk Railway. In June 1940, the Wellington-Paekakariki section was electrified as electric locomotives provided better motive power and this meant trains would swap from steam to electric traction in Paekakariki and it retained its status as a significant locomotive depot. It also became the terminus of the Wellington commuter railway network until 8 May 1983. In February 2011 electrification reached Waikanae, which became the new terminus, during World War II, Queen Elizabeth Park – a large tract of parkland between Raumati South and Paekakariki – was the location of two United States Army and Marines camps, McKay and Russell. US troops were stationed at the camps in 1942–44 prior to being sent into combat in the Pacific Ocean theatre, after World War II, Wellingtons Rongotai Airport was closed due to safety reasons in 1947 and Kapiti Coast Airport became the main airport for the Wellington Region. In 1949, it was New Zealands busiest airport and helped to stimulate growth on the Kapiti Coast, the Wellington International Airport was opened in 1959 and Paraparaumu Airport never regained its status, with some of its land sold for residential development in the 1990s and 2000. It is now used for commercial activity such as that of airline Air2there, helicopter and light aircraft training and for private. Recently, the Kapiti Coast has seen a significant population surge and is one of New Zealands fastest growing areas and this has led to considerable growth in all towns apart from Paekakariki, where development is geographically limited by the sea and steep hill sides. The Kapiti Coast is well known for its cheeses and other products from Lindale, light industry is focused in Paraparaumu and Otaki, with small clusters in Waikanae and Raumati. Many of the Kapiti Coasts residents are not employed in the area, instead, they commute to jobs in Wellington. In February 2017 an 18 km long expressway diversion from Mackays Crossing north of Paekakariki to just north of Peka Peka, was opened to enable State Highway 1 to bypass developed urban areas, the Kapiti Coast area has also made appearances in television and film
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Government of New Zealand
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The Government of New Zealand, formally Her Majestys Government in New Zealand, is the administrative complex through which authority is exercised in New Zealand. As in most parliamentary democracies, the term Government refers chiefly to the executive branch, based on the principle of responsible government, it operates within the framework that the Queen reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives. The position of Prime Minister, New Zealands head of government, in practice, the Prime Minister is determined by size of each political party, support agreements between parties and leadership votes in the party that leads the Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are formally appointed by the Governor-General, however, the Prime Minister chooses the Cabinet, and by convention, the Governor-General respects the Prime Ministers choices. Cabinet ministers are drawn from elected members of the Prime Ministers party in the House of Representatives, a few more ministers are part of the Executive Council but are outside Cabinet. Most ministers have a portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, the Prime Minister exercises vast political power, especially in the appointment of government officials and civil servants. The Queen of New Zealand is head of state but plays little part in governing the country, however, the legal authority of the state that is vested in the monarch, known as the Crown, remains the source of the executive power exercised by the Government. The Governor-General presides over the Executive Council, but is not a member, New Zealand had been granted responsible government in 1853 following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, which was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Governments were set up at state and at level, with initially six provinces. The provinces were abolished by the Abolition of Provinces Act 1876, for the purposes of the Act, the provinces formally ceased to exist on 1 January 1877. The first government that formed along political lines did not appear until 1891, when John Ballance formed the Liberal Party and the Liberal Government. The current Government of New Zealand is the Fifth National Government, led by Prime Minister John Key from 2008 until 12 December 2016, the National Party has parliamentary support from the Māori Party, United Future and ACT. Politics of New Zealand, for a description of jurisdictions, politics. Judiciary of New Zealand Westminster system
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Wharenui
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A wharenui is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a marae. Wharenui are usually called meeting houses in New Zealand English, or simply called whare, also called a whare rūnanga or whare whakairo, the present style of wharenui originated in the early to middle nineteenth century. The houses are carved inside and out with stylized images of the iwis ancestors. Modern meeting houses are built to regular building standards, photographs of recent ancestors may be used as well as carvings. The houses always have names, sometimes the name of an ancestor or sometimes a figure from Māori mythology. Some meeting houses are built where many Māori are present, even though it is not the location of a tribe, typically, a school or tertiary institution with many Māori students. While a meeting house is considered sacred, it is not a church or house of worship, on most marae, no food may be taken into the meeting house. The building often symbolises an ancestor of the wharenuis tribe and it also serves as an area on which to debate issues. Meeting houses are the centre of any cultural, business, or any affair which is relevant to the iwi as a whole, typically, visitors to the village would be allowed to stay in the meeting house at night. Ceremonial occasions, including wedding and funeral typically take place in the house or on the marae ātea in front of the house. Strict rules of conduct generally govern the use of the wharenui, if anyone should become irate or physically violent, they would be asked to leave the house until they can control their temper. Māori culture Māori language Longhouse This picture is the opening of Te Wheke Hall on December 30,1901, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois has an original Māori meeting house, called Ruatepupuke II as shown in this photo. The British Museum has a collection of Māori art
