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Town in Gisborne Region, New Zealand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whangara (Māori: Whāngārā [faː.ŋaː.ɾaː]) is a small community in the northeast of New Zealand's North Island,[1] located between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay, five kilometres southwest of Gable End Foreland and two kilometres east of State Highway 35.
Whangara
Whāngārā (Māori) | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 38°34′14″S 178°13′45″E | |
Country | New Zealand |
Region | Gisborne Region |
Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Area code | 06 |
The settlement features prominently in the early history of the Ngāti Porou iwi,[2] 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.[3]
Whangara was the location and setting for Witi Ihimaera's novel The Whale Rider and its film adaptation.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6][7]
The local Whāngārā Marae is a meeting place for the Ngāti Porou hapū of Ngāti Konohi.[1][8] It includes a wharenui, known as Whitirēia or Waho Te Rangi.[9]
In October 2020, the Government committed $49,626 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, creating an estimated 3.4 jobs.[10]
Whangara School is a Year 1–8 co-educational state primary school.[11] In 2019, it was a decile 2 school with a roll of 78.[12][13]