Taupiri

Taupiri is a small town of about 500 people on the eastern bank of the Waikato River in the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is overlooked by Taupiri mountain, the sacred burial ground for the Waikato tribes of the Māori people, located just to the north.

Taupiri
Town
2010 view of Taupiri and the Waikato, with Kakepuku and Mount Pirongia in the background
2010 view of Taupiri and the Waikato, with Kakepuku and Mount Pirongia in the background
Coordinates: 37°37′S 175°11′E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictWaikato District
WardNgaruawahia Ward
CommunityTaupiri Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaikato District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Total1.73 km2 (0.67 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total640
 • Density370/km2 (960/sq mi)

Taupiri is located near the northern end of the Waikato Basin immediately south of the junction of the Mangawara Stream (which drains the northern part of the basin) and the Waikato River. The Waikato River then flows northward through the Taupiri Gorge between the Hakarimata Range to the south and the Taupiri Range to the north, into the Lower Waikato.

The North Island Main Trunk railway line runs through the town and the gorge, linking Huntly 8 kilometres to the north and Ngāruawāhia 7 kilometres to the south. State Highway 1 also ran through the town until the Huntly Bypass opened in March 2020.[3]

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Taupiri as a rural settlement, which covers 1.73 km2 (0.67 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 640 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 370 people per km2. Taupiri is part of the larger Taupiri-Lake Kainui statistical area.

Historical population for Taupiri
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006444—    
2013420−0.79%
2018492+3.22%
Source: [4]

Taupiri had a population of 492 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 72 people (17.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 48 people (10.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 183 households, comprising 243 males and 243 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female, with 93 people (18.9%) aged under 15 years, 96 (19.5%) aged 15 to 29, 216 (43.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 87 (17.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 74.4% European/Pākehā, 40.2% Māori, 4.3% Pacific peoples, 1.8% Asian, and 1.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.6% had no religion, 31.7% were Christian, 1.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu and 3.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 123 (30.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 45 people (11.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 174 (43.6%) people were employed full-time, 48 (12.0%) were part-time, and 42 (10.5%) were unemployed.[4]

Taupiri-Lake Kainui statistical area

Taupiri-Lake Kainui statistical area extends southeast towards Horsham Downs. Since the 2018 census, the boundaries of Ngāruawāhia have enlarged to include some of this area. At the 2018 Census, Taupiri-Lake Kainui covered 49.76 km2 (19.21 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 2,180 as of June 2022,[5] with a population density of 44 people per km2.

Historical population of Taupiri-Lake Kainui
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,752—    
20131,935+1.43%
20182,220+2.79%
Source: [6]

Taupiri-Lake Kainui had a population of 2,220 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 285 people (14.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 468 people (26.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 753 households, comprising 1,131 males and 1,092 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female. The median age was 38.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 492 people (22.2%) aged under 15 years, 408 (18.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,059 (47.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 264 (11.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 76.9% European/Pākehā, 28.9% Māori, 3.4% Pacific peoples, 3.5% Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 11.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.1% had no religion, 38.0% were Christian, 2.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 237 (13.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 381 (22.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $33,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 324 people (18.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 912 (52.8%) people were employed full-time, 249 (14.4%) were part-time, and 96 (5.6%) were unemployed.[6]

History and culture

Pre-European history
Kaitotehe, the pā of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, with Mount Taupiri in the background (Angas 1846)

Until sometime in the 19th century, a large Māori village or town, Kaitotehe, stood on the flat land on the other side of the river, below the Hakarimata Range.[7]

In early years it was the headquarters of Ngāti Mahuta.[8] Te Putu built Taupiri pā on the summit of a spur of Taupiri mountain, in the 17th century. When Te Putu was killed, he was buried at the pā, which thus became tapu (sacred) and was abandoned. Early European travellers in the area were obliged by Māori to cross to the other side of the Waikato River to avoid the sacred area. In the early 19th century, Kaitotehe was the home of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the paramount chief of Ngāti Mahuta who became the first Māori King.[9]

Post-European history

Taupiri township was settled by Europeans in the 1870s (a railway station opened in 1877),[10] and became a farming centre, with flax mills and a sawmill.[11] A dairy factory was built in 1921, then a larger one in 1930.[8]

In the 2006 census, 32 per cent of the population were Māori.[8]

Marae

Taupiri Marae is located in Taupiri. It is a meeting ground for the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Kuiaarangi, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Tai and Ngāti Whāwhākia, and includes the Pani Ora and Te Puna Tangata meeting houses.[12][13]

Education

Taupiri School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[14][15] with a roll of 89 as of April 2023.[16]

References
  1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 23 September 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. "Huntly section of Waikato Expressway open to traffic". Stuff.co.nz. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  4. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7011215, 7011216 and 7011218.
  5. "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  6. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Taupiri-Lake Kainui (171900). 2018 Census place summary: Taupiri-Lake Kainui
  7. "Introduction". The New Zealand Railways Magazine. 9 (6). 1934. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  8. "Taupiri Community Plan 2008 – 2018" (PDF). Waikato District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  9. Kelly, Leslie G. (1940). "Taupiri pa". The Journal of the Polynesian Society. 49 (193): 148–59.
  10. Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  11. Swarbrick, Nancy. "Waikato places – Ngāruawāhia". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 8 December 2011.
  12. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  13. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  14. "Official School Website". taupiri.school.nz.
  15. "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  16. "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
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