Ngaruawahia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ngāruawāhia (pronunciation: /ŋa:ɾuawa:hia/) (pop. 4000) is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand.
Two meanings have been put forward for the town's name. One meaning is open the food pits, which comes from a feast held hundreds of years ago to celebrate the coming together of two tribes through a marriage. [1]
A loose translation of the word Ngāruawāhia (Wāhia-ngā-rua) means the place of the two rivers in Māori, a reference to the joining of the Waipa and Waikato rivers.[citation needed]
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[edit] Geography
Ngāruawāhia is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers.
[edit] 1863 Invasion
After the Invasion of the Waikato in 1863 by British imperial forces the town was re-named Newcastle, but reverted to Ngāruawāhia soon after.
[edit] Home of the Kīngitanga
Ngāruawāhia is home to the Māori Kīngitanga or King Movement. This was the official residence of the late Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Tūrangawaewae Marae is on on the eastern bank of the Waikato River in Ngāruawāhia.
[edit] Music festivals
Several Music festivals have been held near the town, the first in 1970, and a series from 1979 onwards.
[edit] Railway Accident
A train derailed on 14 March 1998 after a load moved in transit and then struck a through-truck bridge. The wagons piled high on the superstructure of the Waikato River Bridge, and there was major damage to the bridge.[2]
[edit] Sport
The township supports a range of sporting teams. Ngaruawahia United, known as "The Green Machine", is the local soccer club. As of 2006, it included ten junior sides, three senior sides and a women's team. The senior men's team competes in the Northern League Division 2 competition.
