Ruatāhuna
Ruatāhuna is a small town in the remote country of Te Urewera, in the northeast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 90 kilometres directly west of Gisborne, and 18 kilometres northwest of Lake Waikaremoana. By road, it is 50 kilometres south-east of Murupara, and 110 kilometres north-west of Wairoa. It is on the upper reaches of the Whakatāne River, and surrounded on three sides by the Te Urewera protected area, formerly the Te Urewera National Park. The road that runs from Murupara through Ruatahuna to Āniwaniwa on Lake Waikaremoana, a large part of which is unsealed, used to be designated as part of State [Highway 38 (New Zealand)|State Highway 38]. It is a subdivision of the Galatea-Murupara ward of the Whakatāne District.
History
The area was the site of much action during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s and 1870s. From 1870 to 1888, one of the largest wharenui ever built, Te Whai-a-te-Motu, was constructed for Te Kooti and his followers.Demographics
Ruatāhuna covers. It is part of the Galatea statistical area.Ruatāhuna had a population of 117 in the 2023 [New Zealand census], an increase of 24 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 18 people since the 2013 census. There were 63 males and 51 females in 24 dwellings. The median age was 26.4 years. There were 33 people aged under 15 years, 30 aged 15 to 29, 42 aged 30 to 64, and 9 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 15.4% European, 97.4% Māori, 5.1% Pasifika, and 2.6% Asian. English was spoken by 87.2%, and Māori by 69.2%. No language could be spoken by 5.1%. No one was born overseas.
Religious affiliations were 15.4% Christian, and 38.5% Māori religious beliefs. People who answered that they had no religion were 41.0%, and 2.6% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 6 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 51 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 30 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $18,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 21 full-time, 15 part-time, and 12 unemployed.
Marae
Ruatāhuna is within the rohe of Tūhoe, and has several marae affiliated with Tūhoe hapū:- Kākānui marae and Kākahu Tāpiki meeting house, affiliated with Kākahu Tāpiki.
- Mātaatua marae and Te Whai-a-te-Motu meeting house, affiliated with Te Urewera.
- Ōhāua or Ōhāua te Rangi marae and Te Poho-o-Pōtiki meeting house, affiliated with Ngāti Rongo.
- Ōpūtao marae and Te Ngāwari meeting house, affiliated with Ngāti Tāwhaki.
- Ōtekura marae and Te Ōhāki meeting house, affiliated with Tamakaimoana.
- Pāpueru marae and Te Whatu o Te Kanohi meeting house, affiliated with Ngāti Tāwhaki.
- Tātāhoata marae and Te Tapuae meeting house, affiliated with Ngāi Te Riu.
- Te Umuroa marae and Te Poho-o-Parahaki meeting house, affiliated with Ngāti Manunui.
- Uwhiārae marae and Te Paena meeting house, affiliated with Ngāi Te Paena.
- Te Wai-iti marae and Te Poho o Kurī Kino meeting house, affiliated with Ngāti Kurī Kino.