{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- Basic info ----------------> | name = Whangara | native_name = <small>Whāngārā ([[Māori language|Māori]])</small> | native_name_lang = mri | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = Paikea carving at Whāngārā Marae.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Carving of Paikea at Whāngārā Marae | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | map_alt = | map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|38|34|14|S|178|13|45|E|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = New Zealand | subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of New Zealand|Region]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Gisborne District]] | subdivision_type2 = Ward | subdivision_name2 = Tairāwhiti General Ward | leader_title = Territorial authority | leader_name = [[Gisborne District Council]] | leader_title2 = [[Mayor of Gisborne]] | leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Gisborne District Mayor|y}} | leader_title3 = [[East Coast (New Zealand electorate)|East Coast MP]] | leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|East Coast MP|y}} | leader_title4 = [[Ikaroa-Rāwhiti|Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP]] | leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP|y}} | seat_type = [[New Zealand electorates|Electorates]] | seat = {{ubl|[[East Coast (New Zealand electorate)|East Coast]]|[[Ikaroa-Rāwhiti]] ([[Māori electorates|Māori]])}} | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = <ref name="Area"/> | area_total_km2 = 74.05 | population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2023"/> | population_total = 159 | population_as_of = 2023 Census | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]] | utc_offset1 = +12 | timezone1_DST = [[Time in New Zealand|NZDT]] | utc_offset1_DST = +13 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = 06 | iso_code = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Whangara''' ({{langx|mi|Whāngārā}} {{IPA|mi|ˈfaː.ŋaː.ɾaː|}}) is a small community in the northeast of [[New Zealand]]'s [[North Island]],<ref name=teara>{{Cite web|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/east-coast-places/page-5|title=Story: East Coast places|last=Soutar|first=Monty|date=30 March 2015|website=Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand|access-date=5 April 2019}}</ref> located between [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]] and [[Tolaga Bay]], five kilometres southwest of [[Gable End Foreland]] and two kilometres east of [[New Zealand State Highway 35|State Highway 35]].
The settlement features prominently in the early history of the [[Ngāti Porou]] [[iwi]],<ref>[https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-KohStor-t1-body-d1.html Chapter 1: Mohena Kohere's antecedents], in ''The Story of a Maori Chief'', by Reweti T. Kohere. Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd, 1949. Part of the New Zealand Texts Collection, New Zealand Electronic Text Centre, Victoria University. Retrieved 27 November 2009.</ref> as the site where Tamatea, captain of the [[Tākitimu]] canoe settled on arriving in New Zealand. Canoe races were held at nearby Pikopiko-i-whiti, with the people watching from a hill called Puke-hapopo. The place name may be cognate with Fa'ara on [[Taha'a]] island in [[French Polynesia]].<ref name="Best">{{cite journal |last1=Best |first1=Elsdon |title=Some place names of islands of the Society Group |journal=Journal of the Polynesian Society|date=1917 |volume=26 |issue=3 |page=112}}</ref>
Whangara was the location and setting for [[Witi Ihimaera]]'s novel ''[[The Whale Rider]]'' and its [[Whale Rider|film adaptation]].<ref>Sheila Johnston. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3597954/Riding-the-crest-of-the-whale.html Riding the crest of the whale], ''telegraph.co.uk'', 5 July 2003. Retrieved 27 November 2009.</ref>
==Demographics== Whangara and its surrounds cover {{Convert|74.05|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised)|access-date=17 August 2025}}</ref> It is part of the [[Tolaga Bay#Wharekaka statistical area|Wharekaka statistical area]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=3a406ce8fbb14367ab5caae21c07ab8b|title=Geographic Boundary Viewer|publisher=Stats NZ|at=Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023}}</ref>
{{Historical populations|2006|150|2013|135|2018|147|2023|159|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|7015499}}</ref>}} Whangara had a population of 159 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 12 people (8.2%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 24 people (17.8%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 66 males and 93 females in 54 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_009&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.7015499.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 1.9% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 35.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 48 people (30.2%) aged under 15 years, 21 (13.2%) aged 15 to 29, 69 (43.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 24 (15.1%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 47.2% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]), 67.9% [[Māori people|Māori]], and 7.5% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]. English was spoken by 94.3%, Māori by 34.0%, and other languages by 1.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 7.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 32.1% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], and 3.8% [[Māori religious beliefs]]. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 52.8%, and 11.3% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 27 (24.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 63 (56.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24 (21.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 12 people (10.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 51 (45.9%) full-time, 24 (21.6%) part-time, and 6 (5.4%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_012&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.7015499.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=7015499}}</ref>
==Parks==
Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve is a [[marine reserve]] covering 2,450 hectares of coastline south of Whangara, which is managed by the [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]].<ref name="DOCparks">{{cite web |title=DOC Places to Go - East Coast |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/east-coast/ |website=doc.govt.nz |publisher=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]]}}</ref> The name means "The footprints of [[Rongokako]]," referring to an ancestor of [[Ngati Kahungunu]] who is said to have left a footprint at the site.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=J. H. |title=Takitimu: A History of Ngati Kahungunu |date=2014 |publisher=Libro International |isbn=978-1-877514-72-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vm_oAEACAAJ |language=en|page=55}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Royal |first1=Te Ahukaramū Charles |title=Stories of people and land |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/papatuanuku-the-land/page-7 |website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=31 December 2023 |date=2007}}</ref>
==Marae==
The local Whāngārā Marae is a [[marae|meeting place]] for the [[Ngāti Porou]] [[hapū]] of [[Ngāti Konohi]].<ref name=teara /><ref name="tkmentry">{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url= http://www.tkm.govt.nz/ |website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=[[Te Puni Kōkiri]]}}</ref> It includes 2 [[wharenui]], known as Whitirēia and Waho Te Rangi.<ref name="maorimaps">{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map |website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}}</ref>
In October 2020, the Government committed $49,626 from the [[Provincial Growth Fund]] to upgrade the marae, creating an estimated 3.4 jobs.<ref name="maraepgf">{{cite web |title=Marae Announcements |url=https://www.growregions.govt.nz/assets/funding-announcements/marae-announcements.xlsx |website=growregions.govt.nz |publisher=[[Provincial Growth Fund]] |format=Excel |date=9 October 2020}}</ref>
==Education==
Whangara School is a Year 1–8 co-educational state primary school<ref name="official">{{cite web |title=Official School Website |url=http://www.whangara.school.nz |website=whangara.school.nz}}</ref> with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|2736|y}} students as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}<ref name="moe">{{cite web |title=Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?district=28®ion=5&school=2736 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=[[Ministry of Education (New Zealand)|Ministry of Education]]}}</ref><ref name="ero">{{cite web |title=Education Review Office Report |url=https://www.ero.govt.nz/institution/2736/whangara-school |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=[[Education Review Office]]}}</ref> Whangara [[Native schools|Native School]] opened in 1902, and was rebuilt in 1945 after a fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whangaraschool.nz/history/|title=History|publisher=Whangara School|access-date=17 August 2025}}</ref>
[[File:Whangara panorama.jpg|thumb|center|750px|View overlooking Whangara]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/KohStor-fig-KohStorP002a.html 1949 photograph of Whangara]
{{Gisborne District}}
[[Category:Populated places in the Gisborne District]]