Pukawa#Lake Taupō Bays statistical area

It is home of the Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū of Ngāti Manunui, who established the Pūkawa Marae and Manunui a Ruakapanga meeting house in November 2006.{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url=http://www.tkm.govt.nz/|website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=Te Puni Kōkiri|access-date=6 May 2019|archive-date=18 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118064630/http://www.tkm.govt.nz/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map |website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust |access-date=6 May 2019 |archive-date=22 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122131749/https://maorimaps.com/map |url-status=live }} The opening ceremony was attended by Tūheitia Paki, the Māori King.{{cite web | title = Thousands Expected At New Pukawa Marae | publisher = newswire.co.nz | url = http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=346952&catid=0 | accessdate = 2006-11-18 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070310230603/http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=346952&catid=0 |archivedate = 2007-03-10}}

Pōtatau Te Wherowhero was formally selected as king by a conference of chiefs of the Māori tribes held at Pukawa in April 1857 and was crowned during elaborate ceremonies held at his marae in Ngāruawāhia in April 1858.{{cite web |title=Pictures: Māori Monarchs since 1858 |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/media.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10396638 |website=The New Zealand Herald |publisher=New Zealand Media and Entertainment}}

In 1906 Ngāti Tūwharetoa and the Tongariro Timber Company struck an agreement for the construction of a 40-mile railway line from Kakahi (on the main trunk line) to Pukawa. This line was never completed.{{cite web | last = Cowan | first = James | authorlink = James Cowan (New Zealand writer) | author2 = R. E. Owen | title = Chapter 16: The Maori King | work = The New Zealand Wars: Volume I (1845–64): A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period | publisher = New Zealand Electronic Text Centre | url = http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cow01NewZ-c16.html | accessdate = 2006-10-16 | archive-date = 14 September 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060914055730/http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cow01NewZ-c16.html | url-status = live }}

Statistics New Zealand describes Pukawa as a rural settlement, which includes Oreti and covers {{Convert|0.78|km2||abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Urban Rural 2023 (generalised)|access-date=15 May 2025}} It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Pukawa|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Pukawa|y}}|R}}/0.78|0}} people per km². The settlement is part of the larger Lake Taupo Bays statistical area.

{{Historical populations|2006|210|2013|36|2018|48|2023|57|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for the settlement|source={{NZ census 2018|7013294}}|footnote=The 2006 population is for a larger area of 6.09 km², including Ōmori.}}

Pukawa had a population of 57 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (18.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 21 people (58.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 27 males and 33 females in 45 dwellings.{{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_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.1434.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}} 5.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 61.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 6 people (10.5%) aged under 15 years, 3 (5.3%) aged 15 to 29, 27 (47.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 24 (42.1%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.7% European (Pākehā), 31.6% Māori, 5.3% Pasifika, and 10.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 100.0%, Māori by 15.8%, and other languages by 5.3%. No language could be spoken by 5.3% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 10.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 31.6% Christian, 5.3% Māori religious beliefs, and 5.3% Buddhist. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.6%, and 5.3% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (47.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 30 (58.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 9 (17.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6 people (11.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 18 (35.3%) full-time and 6 (11.8%) part-time.{{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%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.1434.2013%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=Pukawa (1434)}}

The statistical area of Lake Taupō Bays covers {{Convert|1154.30|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=15 May 2025}} to the south and west of Lake Taupō. It includes Whareroa Village, Kuratau, Ōmori, Motuoapa, and Tauranga Taupō, and surrounds but does not include Tūrangi. It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Lake Taupo Bays|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Lake Taupo Bays|y}}|R}}/1154.30|1}} people per km².

{{Historical populations|2006|1,620|2013|1,578|2018|1,566|2023|1,854|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Lake Taupō Bays|source={{NZ census 2018|Lake Taupo Bays (187900)|lake-taupo-bays|Lake Taupo Bays}}}}

Lake Taupō Bays had a population of 1,854 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 288 people (18.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 276 people (17.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 963 males, 891 females, and 3 people of other genders in 837 dwellings.{{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_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.187900.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}} 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 51.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 297 people (16.0%) aged under 15 years, 228 (12.3%) aged 15 to 29, 807 (43.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 522 (28.2%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 71.7% European (Pākehā); 43.5% Māori; 3.2% Pasifika; 1.5% Asian; 0.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori by 15.0%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 3.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 28.8% Christian, 9.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.0%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 288 (18.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 918 (59.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 357 (22.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 120 people (7.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 654 (42.0%) full-time, 234 (15.0%) part-time, and 42 (2.7%) unemployed.{{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%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.187900.2013%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=Lake Taupō Bays (187900)}}

A native school run by the Church of England was operating in Pukawa in 1862, but closed by January 1863 after four boys drowned and there was a shortage of food.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18640105.2.30?query=Pukawa+School|title=Parliamentary Papers|newspaper=New Zealander|date=5 January 1864}}

• Bessie Te Wenerau Grace, teacher, first Māori woman university graduate

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{{Taupō District}}

Category:Populated places in Waikato

Category:Taupō District

Category:Bays of Waikato

Category:Populated places on Lake Taupō