Whananaki ( mi, Whananāki) is a locality on the east coast of
Northland, New Zealand.
Whangarei is to the southwest. Te Wairahi Stream flows from the northwest into Whananaki Inlet, a wide tidal estuary which separates Whananaki from Whananaki South. Sandy Bay lies to the southeast. A long wooden footbridge connects Whananaki North and Whananaki South, with an alternative connection being a road that crosses the river above the estuary.
Hikurangi is about 22 km southwest of Whananaki South.
The area was reputedly named by Puhi, the captain of the legendary
waka ''
Mātaatua''. The
Māori-language word ''Whananāki'' means "kicking", and the name arose because mosquitoes caused Puhi to sleep restlessly.
Marae
Whananāki Marae and Whakapaumahara meeting house are a meeting place for
Ngāti Rehua
Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, an ...
and the
Ngātiwai hapū
In Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief and normally opera ...
of
Te Āki Tai.
Work began on redeveloping the marae in December 2018.
In October 2020, the Government committed $341,028 from the
Provincial Growth Fund towards continuing the upgrade, creating 14 jobs.
Education
Whananaki School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of as of The school opened in 1889.
Notable people
*
Winston Peters, leader of
New Zealand First
New Zealand First ( mi, Aotearoa Tuatahi), commonly abbreviated to NZ First, is a nationalist and populist political party in New Zealand. The party formed in July 1993 following the resignation on 19 March 1993 of its leader and founder, Winst ...
*
Jim Peters, politician
Notes
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Whangarei District
Populated places in the Northland Region