Ngāruawāhia

Coordinates: 37°40′S 175°9′E / 37.667°S 175.150°E / -37.667; 175.150
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Ngaruawahia is located in New Zealand
Ngaruawahia
Ngaruawahia

Ngāruawāhia (Maori pronunciation: [ŋaːɾuawaːhia]) (pop. 5,106[1]) is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand.

The meaning of the town's name is open the food pits, which comes from a feast held hundreds of years ago to celebrate the coming together of two tribes through a marriage which were Ngati Tamainupo and Ngati Maniapoto. The word combines the Māori words wahia meaning firewood and rua meaning pit or hole in this usage. [1]

Geography

Waikato River, passing through Ngāruawāhia

Ngāruawāhia is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers.

1863 invasion

After the invasion of the Waikato in 1863 by British imperial forces the town was re-named Newcastle, but reverted to Ngāruawāhia soon after.

Home of the Kīngitanga

Ngāruawāhia is home to the Māori Kīngitanga or King Movement. This was the official residence of the late Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Tūrangawaewae Marae is on the eastern bank of the Waikato River in Ngāruawāhia.

Music festivals

Several music festivals have been held near the town, the first in 1970, and a series from 1979 onwards.

Railway accident

A train derailed on 14 March 1998 after a load moved in transit and then struck a through-truck bridge. The wagons piled high on the superstructure of the Waikato River bridge, and there was major damage to the bridge.[2][3]

Sport

Football (Soccer)

Ngaruawahia United, known as "The Green Machine", is the local football (soccer) club, founded in 1968. As of 2009, it comprised sixteen junior sides, three senior sides and a women's team. Ngaruawahia United has their A team in the Northern League Division 1, their B team in the Federation League and their C team in the Waikato League. The womens team competes in their Waikato B Division.

Ngaruawahia will again host Waikato FC of the New Zealand Football Championship for the New Zealand Football Championship 2009-10 season. Waikato will play their matches at Centennial Park.

Rugby League

Ngaruawahia is the home of the rugby league team Turangawaewae RLC, which is named after the Marae opposite the clubrooms. The club currently holds the record for the first team to ever win consecutive titles in the annual Waicoa Bay Premiers Competition, consisting of all teams in the Waikato, Coast and Bay Of Plenty regions. [citation needed]

Former Residents

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Quickstats about Ngāruawāhia
  2. ^ Transport Accident Investigation Commission - incident 98-105
  3. ^ "Repairs will stop railway 'wiggles'". The New Zealand Herald. 9 May 2000.

37°40′S 175°9′E / 37.667°S 175.150°E / -37.667; 175.150

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