Ohawe
{{Short description|Rural community in South Taranaki, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ohawe
| native_name = Ōhawe
| image_skyline = Ohawe Beach, Taranaki, New Zealand, 8 May 2007.jpg
| caption = Ohawe settlement
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Taranaki Region
| subdivision_type2 = Territorial authority
| subdivision_name2 = South Taranaki District
| subdivision_type3 = Ward
| subdivision_name3 = {{ubl|Te Hāwera General Ward|Te Kūrae Māori Ward}}
| subdivision_type4 = Community
| subdivision_name4 = Te Hāwera Community
| seat_type = Electorates
| seat = {{ubl|Whanganui|Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)}}
| leader_title = Territorial Authority
| leader_name = South Taranaki District Council
| leader_title1 = Regional council
| leader_name1 = Taranaki Regional Council
| image_map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-39.585|174.199}}|zoom=9}}
| coordinates = {{coord|-39.585|174.199|region:NZ|display=inline, title}}
| population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
| population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
| population_total = {{NZ population data 2018|Ohawe|y}}
| area_total_km2 = 0.90
| population_density_km2 = auto
| postal_code_type = Postcode
| postal_code = 4671
}}
Ohawe or Ōhawe is a rural community in South Taranaki, New Zealand. It is located about 9 kilometres west of Hāwera, and south of State Highway 45. Ohawe is at the mouth of the Waingongoro River, where it reaches the South Taranaki Bight.{{cite map|url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz45027/Ohawe/Taranaki|title=Ohawe, Taranaki|publisher=NZ Topomap|first=Gavin|last=Harriss|date=August 2022}}
The name means "place of a river bend", referring to the winding Waingongoro River.{{cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/ohawe|title=Ohawe|publisher=New Zealand History|access-date=23 March 2023}}
A coastal walk at low tide goes to Waihi Beach.{{cite web|url=https://www.southtaranaki.com/our-community/pathways/ohawe-beach-to-waihi-beach-coastal-walk|title=Ōhawe Beach to Waihi Beach Coastal Walk|publisher=South Taranaki District Council|access-date=23 March 2023}}
History
Māori settled in the area around 1300 CE. They hunted moa and other birds. Richard Taylor described it as "a regular necropolis" in 1843. In 1847, Walter Mantell realised that Māori and moa had lived in the area at the same time.{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/taranaki-places/page-6|title=Taranaki Places—Page 6. Hāwera—Ōhawe|first=Ron|last=Lambert|date=1 September 2016}}
In 1865, during the Second Taranaki War, General Duncan Cameron built redoubts on both sides of the Waingongoro river mouth. About 45 troops killed during the war are buried at Ohawe Soldiers' Cemetery.
Demographics
Ohawe is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement that covers {{Convert|0.90|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787|access-date=23 March 2023|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Ohawe|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Ohawe|y}}|R}}/0.90|0}} people per km2. It is part of the larger Okaiawa statistical area.{{NZ census place summary 2018|okaiawa|Okaiawa}}
{{Historical populations|2006|213|2013|183|2018|216|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=}}
Okawe had a population of 216 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 33 people (18.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 3 people (1.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 99 households, comprising 105 males and 108 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 42 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 21 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 120 (55.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (15.3%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 83.3% European/Pākehā, 27.8% Māori, 1.4% Pacific peoples, and 4.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 38.9% were Christian, and 1.4% had Māori religious beliefs.
Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 39 (22.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 39 people (22.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 81 (46.6%) people were employed full-time, 36 (20.7%) were part-time, and 3 (1.7%) were unemployed.{{NZ census 2018|7017446}}