Waiapu River

37°48′53″S 178°23′09″E / 37.8148°S 178.3859°E / -37.8148; 178.3859[1]

Waiapu River
Location
CountryNew Zealand
DistrictGisborne District
WardWaiapu Ward
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationRaukumara Range
Mouth 
 • location
Pacific Ocean
Length130 km (81 mi)[2]
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftTapuaeroa River, Mangaopara River, Paoaruku stream, Poroporo River, Maraehara River
 • rightMata River, Wairoa River

The Waiapu River is a river in the Gisborne District of the North Island of New Zealand, with a total length of approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi).[2] Found in the north-east of the Waiapu Valley, it flows north-east from the joining of the Mata River and the Tapuaeroa River (both of which flow from the Raukumara Ranges), then passes by Ruatoria before reaching the Pacific Ocean at Rangitukia.[2][3] Other tributaries of the Waiapu River include the Mangaoporo, Poroporo, Wairoa, Maraehara rivers, and the Paoaruku stream.[4] It is the most well-known river in the region and lies within the rohe (territory) of Ngāti Porou, the largest iwi (extended kinship group or tribe) on the East Coast, and second largest in New Zealand.[2][5][6] The area was the site of hostilities during the New Zealand Wars from June to October in 1865, both between Pākehā (New Zealand Europeans) and Māori, and between factions of Ngāti Porou.[7]

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "swallowing river" for Waiapu.[8]

  1. ^ "Place Name Detail: Waiapu River". New Zealand Place Names Database. Wellington, New Zealand: Land Information New Zealand. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Harmsworth, Garth; Warmenhoven, Tui Aroha (2002). "The Waiapu project: Maori community goals for enhancing ecosystem health". Hamilton, New Zealand: New Zealand Association of Resource Management. Archived from the original (DOC) on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. ^ Gisborne District Council. "Waiapu River". Land & Water New Zealand. The Regional Councils of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Deed of Settlement Schedule: Documents" (PDF). Ngāti Porou Deed of Settlement. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Government. 22 December 2010. p. 1. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  5. ^ Reedy, Tamati Muturangi (4 March 2009). "Ngāti Porou - Tribal boundaries and resources". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  6. ^ Finlayson, Hon Christopher (22 December 2010). "Ngāti Porou Deed of Settlement signed" (Press release). New Zealand Government. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Rangitukia NZ Wars memorial". New Zealand History online | Nga korero a ipurangi o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  8. ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.