Kihikihi

Kihikihi, a small town located in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, serves as a satellite community of Te Awamutu, five kilometres to the north, and lies 35 kilometres south of Hamilton. The 2018 New Zealand census recorded a population of 2,808 people[3] The main reason for the large increase since 2013 is the construction of a large number of new dwellings.

Kihikihi
Kihikihi Town Hall (c.1904)
Kihikihi Town Hall (c.1904)
Coordinates: 38°2′S 175°21′E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictWaipa District
WardTe Awamutu Ward
CommunityTe Awamutu Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaipa District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Total10.09 km2 (3.90 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total3,390
 • Density340/km2 (870/sq mi)

The town's outer rim has merged with the expanding rim of Te Awamutu, rendering the boundary between the two towns difficult to perceive.

Kihikihi is a Māori-language word meaning "cicada"; the name imitates the sound made by the insect.[4] A large statue of a cicada stands at the northern entrance to the town.

Kihikihi's multi-purpose sports domain hosts national and international equestrian events such as the FEI Eventing World Cup.

The town is also home to the historic Kihikihi Polo Club, founded in 1892 by the Kay family.[5]

History

KIhikihi in the 19th century was described as a "border settlement" or a "frontier town" by James Cowan, ruined in the 1880s by the "Great Wet Peace" with the partition of the King Country and land-buying from Māori .[6]

Demographics

Kihikihi covers 10.09 km2 (3.90 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 3,390 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 336 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20062,361—    
20132,472+0.66%
20182,808+2.58%
Source: [3]
Kihikihi Star Hotel (c.1883)
The Kihikihi cicada statue

Kihikihi had a population of 2,808 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 336 people (13.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 447 people (18.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 999 households, comprising 1,389 males and 1,422 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female, with 585 people (20.8%) aged under 15 years, 531 (18.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,260 (44.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 432 (15.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 78.8% European/Pākehā, 29.8% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 13.4, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.6% had no religion, 32.4% were Christian, 2.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 273 (12.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 555 (25.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 315 people (14.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,170 (52.6%) people were employed full-time, 300 (13.5%) were part-time, and 96 (4.3%) were unemployed.[3]

Individual statistical areas
NameArea
(km2)		PopulationDensity
(per km2)		HouseholdsMedian ageMedian
income
St Leger7.854896218046.8 years$39,600[7]
Kihikihi Central2.242,3191,03581937.5 years$29,400[8]
New Zealand37.4 years$31,800

People

John Rochford (1832–1893)[9] died in the Star Hotel and is buried in the Kihikihi Cemetery near the Kihikihi Primary school. He was one of the first to survey the routes of today's railways in both the North and South Islands. A reserve in Kihikhi commemorates the name of John Rochford.

Rewi Maniapoto (1807–1894) lived in Kihikihi, on the site of the Rewi Maniapoto Reserve and the memorial. Kihikihi stood at the core of the productive farm-lands that Maori developed in the 1850s with the help of CMS missionaries. The district supplied food to new settlers in Auckland for a brief period. The area became the heartland of anti-government Maori in 1863, during the New Zealand Wars.

Archaeological sites

20 archaeological sites have been identified in the town,[10] 9 of which are listed by Heritage New Zealand -

  • c1868 Alpha Hotel[11]
  • 1879 Major Jackson's House[12]
  • 1881 Christ Church (Anglican)[13]
  • 1883 Star Hotel[14]
  • 1894 Rewi Maniapoto Memorial and Reserve[15]
  • 1904 Town Hall[16]
  • 1907 Constable's House and Police Station[17]
  • 1920 World War One Memorial[18]
  • 94 Lyon St[19]

Under the Reserves Act 1977, a management plan for some of the historic area was drawn up for Waipa District Council.[20]

Education

Kihikihi School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[21] with a roll of 155 as of April 2023[22] Kihikihi is a dual medium Kura, meaning there is an Aoraki stream taught in English, and a Rumaki stream taught entirely in Te Reo Māori. It opened in 1873, and moved to its current site in 1884. It was destroyed by fire in 1938, and rebuilt in 1952.[23]

Transport

Kihikihi is on SH3. An infrequent bus service operated by GoBus links it to Te Awamutu and Hamilton.[24] The Kihikihi Trail cycleway to Te Awamutu[25] opened in 2017.[26]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kihikihi.
  1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  2. "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  3. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. St Leger (184500) and Kihikihi Central (184800).
  4. Reed, A. W. (1975). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Max Cryer. Auckland: Reed (published 2002). p. 250. ISBN 0790007614. Lit. cicada or tree-locust (Amphipsalta cingulata), a name that imitates its strident song.
  5. Kihikihi Polo Club: About us
  6. "Frontier Town - the life or a Border Settlement (1940 article)". NZETC. 1940.
  7. 2018 Census place summary: St Leger
  8. 2018 Census place summary: Kihikihi Central
  9. Exploring New Zealand's interior
  10. "NZAA Site Viewer". archsite.eaglegis.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  11. "Alpha Hotel". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  12. "Major Jackson's House". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  13. "Christ Church (Anglican)". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  14. "Star Hotel". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  15. "Rewi Maniapoto Memorial and Reserve". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  16. "Town Hall". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  17. "Constable's House and Police Station". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  18. "World War One Memorial". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  19. "House". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  20. "Rata-tu Management Plan (Kihikihi Heritage Precinct)" (PDF). Waipa District Council. December 2013.
  21. Education Counts: Kihikihi School
  22. "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  23. "Our Place, the Whenua, our Whānau". Kihikihi School. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  24. "Te Awamutu 24 | Busit". busit.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  25. "New trail route confirmed - Waipa District Council". www.waipadc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  26. "Kihikihi trail - Waipa District Council". www.waipadc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
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