Raupunga

Raupunga
Coordinates: 39°04′25″S 177°08′40″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Hawke's Bay Region
Territorial authority	Wairoa District

Raupunga is a small settlement in the northern Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's eastern North Island. It is located close to the country's highest railway bridge, the Mohaka Viaduct, which crosses the Mohaka River. The predominantly Māori village is expected to have a population of 266 people by 2033.

The village got running water for the first time in 2017, when a 9 kilometre electric pump system was built from Mangawharangi Stream for $1 million. Until that time, many of the 56 households had got water from buckets.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,242	—
2013	1,167	−0.89%
2018	1,188	+0.36%
Source:

The statistical area of Maungataniwha-Raupunga, which at 2,081 square kilometres is much larger than the town, and also covers Mohaka, Putere and Tuai, had a population of 1,188 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (1.8%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 54 people (-4.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 405 households. There were 624 males and 564 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.11 males per female. The median age was 35 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 309 people (26.0%) aged under 15 years, 228 (19.2%) aged 15 to 29, 501 (42.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 147 (12.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 50.8% European/Pākehā, 63.1% Māori, 4.5% Pacific peoples, 0.8% Asian, and 1.0% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 5.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 39.1% had no religion, 40.4% were Christian and 12.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 72 (8.2%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 222 (25.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $25,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 426 (48.5%) people were employed full-time, 138 (15.7%) were part-time, and 57 (6.5%) were unemployed.

Marae

Raupunga includes a number of marae (meeting grounds) and wharenui (meeting houses) for the local iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Kahungunu and its hapū (sub-tribes):

• Kurahikakawa Marae, affiliated with Ngāti Pāhauwera hapū, and Ngāti Pāhauwera iwi.
• Rangiāhua marae and Te Poho o Tamaterangi wharenui, affiliated with Ngāi Tamaterangi hapū.
• Raupunga Marae and Te Huki wharenui, affiliated with Ngāti Pāhauwera hapū.

In October 2020, the Government committed $1,949,075 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Rangiāhua, Raupunga and 22 other Ngāti Kahungunu marae. The funding was expected to create 164 jobs.