View source for Ruawai

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Ruawai
|image_skyline    = Ruawai (14083946062).jpg
|image_caption    = Former Ruawai Post Office and telephone exchange
|area_total_km2   = 3.21
|area_footnotes   = <ref name="Area"/>
|population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
|population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
|population_total = {{NZ population data 2018|Ruawai|y}}
|population_density_km2 = auto
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[New Zealand]]
|subdivision_type1= Region
|subdivision_name1= [[Northland Region]]
|subdivision_type2= District
|subdivision_name2= [[Kaipara District]]
|subdivision_type3= Ward
|subdivision_name3= Otamatea Ward
|leader_title     = Territorial Authority
|leader_name      = [[Kaipara District Council]]
|leader_title1    = Regional council
|leader_name1     = [[Northland Regional Council]]
|leader_title2    = [[Mayor of Kaipara]]
|leader_name2     = {{NZ officeholder data|Kaipara District Mayor|y}}
|leader_title3    = [[Northland (New Zealand electorate)|Northland MP]]
|leader_name3     = {{NZ officeholder data|Northland MP|y}}
|leader_title4    = [[Te Tai Tokerau|Te Tai Tokerau MP]]
|leader_name4     = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tokerau MP|y}}
|seat_type        = Electorates
|seat             = {{ubl|[[Northland (New Zealand electorate)|Northland]]|[[Te Tai Tokerau]]}}
|image_map        = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|36|8|11|S|174|1|26|E}}|zoom=9}}
|coordinates      = {{coord|36|8|11|S|174|1|26|E|region:NZ|display=inline}}
}}
'''Ruawai''' ({{langx|mi|Ruāwai}}) is a small town located 30&nbsp;km south of [[Dargaville]] in [[Northland Region|Northland]], New Zealand.
The name literally translated from Maori means 'two waters' referring to the nearby [[Wairoa River (Northland)|Northern Wairoa River]] and [[Kaipara Harbour]]. The township primarily serves the outlying farming area which consists mainly of cattle farming and [[Sweet potato|kumara]] growing and the town declared itself as the Kumara capital of the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jasons.co.nz/ruawai|title=Ruawai Travel Guide |publisher=[[Jasons Travel Media]]}}</ref>
The local [[Naumai|Naumai Marae]] and [[Ngā Uri o te Kotahitanga]] meeting house is a traditional meeting place for [[Ngāti Whātua]] and [[Te Uri o Hau]].<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><ref name="maorimaps">{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map |website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}}</ref>
==History==
Ruawai was a location for the late 19th/early 20th century [[kauri gum]] digging trade.<ref name="HaywardGum">{{cite book |last1=Hayward |first1=Bruce W. |author-link1=Bruce Hayward |title=Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers |publisher=The Bush Press |date=1989 |isbn=0-908608-39-X |page=4}}</ref>
==Demographics==
Statistics New Zealand describes Rūāwai as a rural settlement, which covers {{Convert|3.21|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area"/> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Ruawai|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Ruawai|y}}|R}}/3.21|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>. Rūāwai is part of the larger Rūāwai-Matakohe statistical area.
{{Historical populations|2006|426|2013|432|2018|471|2023|480|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Rūāwai settlement|source=<ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|7001048–7001050}}</ref><ref name="Census 2023"/>}}
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.1% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 41.2% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 3.8% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 2.5% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; and 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA). English was spoken by 98.1%, Māori language by 5.0%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 2.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 10.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 36.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 2.5% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 0.6% [[New Age]], and 0.6% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 49.4%, and 11.2% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (6.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 198 (51.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 156 (40.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $26,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 9 people (2.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 123 (31.8%) people were employed full-time, 60 (15.5%) were part-time, and 21 (5.4%) were 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_008&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%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.1058.2013%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=Rūāwai (1058)}}</ref>
===Rūāwai-Matakohe statistical area===
Rūāwai-Matakohe statistical area, which also includes [[Matakohe]] and [[Tinopai]], covers {{Convert|530.47|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=25 December 2023|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Ruawai-Matakohe|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Ruawai-Matakohe|y}}|R}}/530.47|1}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations|2006|2,235|2013|2,289|2018|2,436|2023|2,631|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Rūāwai-Matakohe|source=<ref name="Census 2018 RM">{{NZ census 2018|Ruawai-Matakohe (109400)|ruawai-matakohe|Ruawai-Matakohe}}</ref><ref name="Census 2023 RM"/>}}
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 83.9% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 28.6% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 4.1% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 2.4% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.9%, Māori language by 4.8%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 4.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 26.7% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.5% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.1% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 3.0% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 0.1% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.7% [[New Age]], and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 58.5%, and 9.7% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 177 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,194 (56.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 702 (32.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $30,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 126 people (5.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 885 (41.5%) people were employed full-time, 351 (16.5%) were part-time, and 75 (3.5%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023 RM">{{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_008&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%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.109400.2013%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=Rūāwai-Matakohe (109400)}}</ref>
==Education==
Ruawai College is a secondary (years 7-13) school with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|22|y}} students as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}<ref>{{TKI|22|Ruawai College}}</ref> Ruawai District High School was established in 1929.<ref>{{cite book|title=Tall Spars, Steamers & Gum|last=Ryburn|first=Wayne|year=1999|isbn=0-473-06176-7|pages=167}}</ref> In December 1995, Ruawai College installed a 128&nbsp;kbit/s DDS leased line connection that delivered internet services and offered dialup internet with IGRIN billing the service (IGRIN has since purchased by Orcon). The arrangement delivered internet to the rural community where the nearest dialup internet services were a toll call away, as well as giving the school low cost internet. At the time, only a handful of schools nationally had a campus-wide, hard wired internet service.
Ruawai School is a contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|1095|y}} students as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}<ref>{{TKI|1095|Ruawai School}}</ref>
Both schools are coeducational.
==Notable people==
*[[Lockwood Smith]], politician.
*[[Roy Billing]] OAM, noted NZ actor, now domiciled in Australia, was brought up in Ruawai where he attended Ruawai High School
*{{Annotated link|Grace Gooder}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.ruawaicollege.school.nz/ Ruawai College website]
{{coord|36|8|11|S|174|1|26|E|scale:10000|display=title}}
{{Kaipara District}}
[[Category:Kaipara District]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Northland Region]]
[[Category:Populated places around the Kaipara Harbour]]