Moawhango

Moawhango is bastion of cultural engagement within the iwi boundary of Ngāti Whitikaupekaa. Originally known to local Māori as Te Riu o Puanga, during European settlement the valley became known as Moawhango. There are two marae within the valley, Te Riu o Puanga marae which holds the whare rūnanga (ancestral meeting house) Oruamatua; and Moawhango marae where the whare puni (ancestral sleeping house) of Whitikaupeka stands. Ngāti Whitikaupeka occupy the northern boundary for the Mōkai Pātea confederation of iwi, which includes Ngāi Te Ohuake extending eastward to the summit of the Ruahine range, Ngāti Tamakōpiri to the west, and Ngāti Hauiti to the south. Through intricate whakapapa (genealogy) connections, Ngāti Whitikaupeka are also affiliated to Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Kahungunu, and maintain their independent autonomy on the lands that surround Moawhango, while affirming their complex whakapapa relationships with others.see for example: Waitangi Tribunal Reports for Taihape Inquiry WAI2180 www.waitangitribunal.govt.nzsee for example: Warren, T. (2017). Ngāti Whitikaupeka: rangatiratanga. [Presentation to the Waitangi Tribunal - Kōrero Tuku Iho].

Waitangi Tribunal 2180-D021. Accessed from: https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_130056987/Wai%202180%2C%20D21.pdf{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url=http://www.tkm.govt.nz/|website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=Te Puni Kōkiri}}{{cite web|title=Māori Maps|url=https://maorimaps.com/map|website=maorimaps.com|publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}}

File:Batley Memorial Chapel, Moawhango, New Zealand.jpg

There are three historic buildings in the Moawhango area with Category I and II listings by Heritage New Zealand: the Birch Homestead has a Category I listing and the Batley Memorial Chapel and Whitikaupeka Church are Category II.{{NZHPT|2736|Birch Homestead|4 September 2024}}{{NZHPT|3308|Batley Memorial Chapel|5 February 2022}}{{NZHPT|948|Whitikaupeka Church|5 February 2022}}

The Batley Memorial Chapel was built in 1902 by Robert and Emily Batley as a memorial to their daughter Nellie who drowned in 1899. It was designed by Alfred Atkins in Gothic Revival style and built from locally-made bricks.{{cite web|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18977/moawhango-memorial-chapel|title=Moawhango memorial chapel|publisher=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=14 November 2012|author=Beaglehole, Diana}}{{Cite book |last=O’Sullivan |first=A. |title=Woolsheds: the historic shearing sheds of Aotearoa New Zealand. |last2=Ussher |first2=J. |publisher=Massey University Press |year=2024 |isbn=9781991016829 |pages=233-245 |oclc=1473365363}} There is also a shearing shed built in 1900 and other historic buildings on the Batley farm.

Whitikaupeka Church was built between 1903 and 1905 by the hapū Ngāti Whiti to commemorate tribal elders. It is built of wood and the design is attributed by Alfred Atkins.

The Birch Homestead built by Azim and William Birch dates from 1868; it is a rare example of a house constructed from cob.

Moawhango River is a 62 km long river with its sources in the Kaimanawa Range and ending at Lake Moawhango. It passes through the town and then outflows into the Rangitikei River southeast of Taihape. Lake Moawhango contains a large population of wild rainbow trout.

{{Main|Rangitikei District Council}}

Moawhango forms part of the Taihape ward of the Rangitikei District Council, which elects three of the eleven district councillors. The three representatives of the ward are Richard Aslett, Angus Gordon and Ruth Rainey, elected in the 2013 Rangitikei local elections. The current Mayor of Rangitikei is Andy Watson.{{cite web|title=Watson wins Rangitikei chain|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11139836 |publisher=Wanganui Chronicle – The New Zealand Herald.|date=14 October 2013|accessdate=18 May 2016|author=Wallis, Anna}} The mayor and all councillors are due for re-election in October 2016.

File:Whitikaupeka Church, Moawhango, New Zealand.jpg

Moawhango, like much of the rest of the Rangitikei District, is located in the general electorate of Rangitīkei and in the Māori electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.org.nz/voters/find-my-electorate|accessdate=1 February 2016|publisher=Electoral Commission|title=Find my Electorate}} Rangitīkei is a safe National Party seat since the 1938 election with the exception of 1978–1984 when it was held by Bruce Beetham of the Social Credit Party. Since 2011, it is held by Ian McKelvie.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/electorates/2011/DBHOH_Lib_EP_Rangitikei_TOC_1/rangit%C4%ABkei-electorate-profile|title=Rangitīkei Electorate Profile|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=30 September 2012}}

Te Tai Hauāuru is a more volatile seat, having been held by three different parties since 1996, i.e. New Zealand First, the Māori Party and the Labour Party.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/electorates/2011/DBHOH_Lib_EP_Te%20Tai%20Hauauru_TOC_1/te-tai-hau%C4%81uru-electorate-profile |title=Te Tai Hauāuru Electorate Profile|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=30 September 2012}} Since 2014 it is held by Adrian Rurawhe of the Labour Party.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/mps/current/51MP3481/rurawhe-adrian|title=Rurawhe, Adrian|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=4 December 2015}}

{{Historical populations

|percentages = pagr

|source =

|2001 |684

|2006 |696

|2013 |651

}}

Moawhango had a population of 651 according to the 2013 New Zealand census. This is a decrease of 45, or 6.5 percent, since the 2006 census. There were 243 occupied dwellings, 39 unoccupied dwellings, and no dwellings under construction.

Of the residential population, 348 (53.5%) were male compared to 48.7% nationally, and 300 (46.5%) were female, compared to 51.3% nationally. The district had a median age of 39.8 years, 1.8 years above the national median age of 38.0 years. People aged 65 and over made up 8.8% of the population, compared to 14.3% nationally, and people under 15 years made up 20.7%, compared to 20.4% nationally.

The meshblock's ethnicity is made up of (national figures in brackets): 84.0% European (74.0%), 26.2% Māori (14.9%), 1.0% Asian (11.8%), 2.4% Pacific Islanders (7.4%), 0.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American or African (1.2%), and 4.9% Other (1.7%).

Moawhango had an unemployment rate of 3.0% of people 15 years and over, compared to 7.4% nationally. The median annual income of all people 15 years and over was $31,700, compared to $28,500 nationally. Of those, 31.6% earned under $20,000, compared to 38.2% nationally, while 20.0% earned over $50,000, compared to 26.7% nationally.

To get to the nearest town, Taihape, it is a 19 km drive south via Te Moehau Road and Spooners Hill Road. State Highway 1 goes through Taihape, connecting Cape Reinga and Wellington; through this state highway InterCity buses can be used with ten daily coach services. These include: Auckland–Wellington, Wellington–Auckland and Tauranga–Wellington (throughout different times of the day).{{cite web|url=http://www.intercity.co.nz/travel-info/timetable/lookup/TPE|title=Taihape – Bus Timetable|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=1 February 2016|publisher=InterCity}}

Moawhango School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,{{cite web |title=Official School Website |url=http://www.schoolground.co.nz/moawhango |website=schoolground.co.nz/moawhango}}{{cite web |title=Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=2401 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=Ministry of Education}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|2401|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|}}.{{cite web |title=Education Review Office Report |url=http://www.ero.govt.nz/report-view?id=2401 |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=Education Review Office}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.nzfishing.com/fishingwaters/wellington/WGTNFishingWaters/WGTNMoawhango.htm Moawhango river fishing]

{{Rangitikei District}}

Category:Populated places in Manawatū-Whanganui

Category:Rangitikei District

Category:Ngāti Whitikaupeka