The Waikato district is predominantly a rural area, which is home to just under 44,000 people, with the median age being 35.3 years. The majority of residents in the Waikato district identify themselves as European, with a median income of $25,700. Over half of the Waikato districts residents own their own property.
The People
Nearly 40 per cent of New Zealand's total population live within a 150 km radius of the Waikato district. However, the district itself is still sparsely populated by North Island standards, with just under 44,000 people living in this principally rural area, which covers roughly 310,000 hectares.
The population of the Waikato district was 43,959 in 2007, when the last census was undertaken. This is an increase of 10.3 percent since the 2001 census.
The Waikato district has a median age of 35.3 years, lower than that of New Zealand as a whole where it is 35.9 years. This is a reflection of the fact that the district has a smaller number of people aged over 65 (10.0 per cent) and a larger number of people aged under 15 (25.5 per cent) than the average.
While this currently means that there is a greater need for services and facilities for the younger members of our community, there are long-term implications as the demand for services for those above 65 will increase in future years.
Ethnicity
Ethnically, the Waikato district has low numbers of Pacific Island (2.4 per cent) and Asian people (2.8 per cent), but a much larger than average proportion of Máori (25.9 per cent). Sixty nine percent of people in the Waikato district consider themselves to be European. The district's urban wards have much higher percentages of Máori than its rural wards.
Waikato-Tainui
Waikato-Tainui holds a unique status as tangata whenua of the Waikato region.
The natural and physical resources within the tribal area of Waikato-Tainui are of significant cultural and historical importance to the Iwi. Waikato-Tainui’s relationship with the Waikato River and West Coast harbours, in particular, has extended over many generations since the time of the first inland explorations of their ancestors who brought the Tainui canoe to Aotearoa in the fourteenth century.
Their relationship with the river is unique. The Waikato River is regarded as a tuupuna awa, the ancestral river of the people representing the mana and the mauri of the people. It is central to their tribal identity, and to their spiritual and physical well-being. Its power is both protective and healing.
The importance of this relationship is evident in many whakatauki (tribal sayings) and waiata (songs), and in oral histories, which record the association of the ancestors with places, events, daily activities, thoughts, emotions, and everything that touched their lives.
Over the generations Waikato-Tainui have developed tikanga (protocol) that embody their profound respect for the river and all life within it. Their tikanga recognises that if they care for the river, the river will continue to sustain the people. Waikato-Tainui has mana whakahaere (authority) over the river. Accordingly, Waikato-Tainui has a duty to past, present and future generations to protect the river and Waikato-Tainui is obliged to satisfy that duty.
It is important to recognise that for Waikato-Tainui the Waikato River means the whole river. Waikato-Tainui regards the river as an entire living entity, which includes not just its banks, beds and waters but also its many streams, lakes and tributaries, its catchments and flood plains, and its flora and fauna, as well as its metaphysical being.
As with the Waikato River; the West Coast harbours of Manukau, Whaingaroa, Aotea and Kawhia have significant historical and cultural importance to Waikato-Tainui; particularly for the mana whenua (local people) who reside around them.
During 2008 the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Bill was passed into legislation. This legislation puts into effect a deed of settlement between the Crown and Waikato-Tainui in relation to the Waikato River. The Bill establishes co-management of the river for the overarching purpose of restoring and protecting the health and well-being of the Waikato River for future generations.
|
Waka
|
(Canoe)
|
Tainui
|
| Iwi |
(Tribe) |
Waikato |
| Hapu |
(Sub-tribes) |
33 |
| Marae |
(Whanau Groups) |
65 |
| Registered Tribal Members |
(Individuals) |
52,000 |
67% reside in Waikato, 28% reside in the rest of New Zealand, 5% are overseas. More than 35,000 people residing in the Waikato Region are members of the Waikato-Tainui tribe.
Income
The district has a higher then national median level of income, at $25,700. The diversity of the district shows differing results when comparing the rural wards with urban wards.
A high number of people receive their income from the agriculture and fishing industries, which reflects the district’s rural nature.
Property Ownership
There are moderate levels of home ownership in the Waikato district with 55.2 per cent of permanent residents owning their own property. The national average is 54.5 per cent.