Whareponga is a bay and rural community in the

Gisborne District Gisborne District or the Gisborne Region (Māori: ''Te Tairāwhiti'' or ''Te Tai Rāwhiti'') is a local government area of northeastern New Zealand. It is governed by Gisborne District Council, a unitary authority (with the combined powers o ...

of New Zealand's North Island. It is located north of Waipiro Bay, and is the mouth of Whareponga Stream and Wharekaka Stream. The area has a rugged landscape, featuring green bush-covered hills and exposed cliffs. The local

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou is affiliated with the 28th Maori Battalion and has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zeala ...

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 op ...

of Te Aitanga a Mate takes its name from a common ancestor, Materoa. The Whareponga Marae, also affiliated with the Ngāi Tangihaere hapū, includes a meeting house named after Materoa. Since the 19th century, most of the hapū has migrated to larger centres. New homes were built for returning families in 2017, with funding from

Te Puni Kōkiri Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK), the Ministry of Māori Development, is the principal policy advisor of the Government of New Zealand on Māori wellbeing and development. Te Puni Kōkiri was established under the Māori Development Act 1991 with responsib ...

. In October 2020, the Government committed $5,756,639 from the

Provincial Growth Fund Shane Geoffrey Jones (born 3 September 1959) is a New Zealand politician. He served as a New Zealand First list MP from 2017 to 2020 and was previously a Labour list MP from 2005 to 2014. Jones was a cabinet minister in the Fifth Labour Gove ...

to upgrade the Whareponga Marae and 28 other Ngāti Porou marae. The funding was expected to create 205 jobs.

Notable people

Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC (7 April 1918 – 27 March 1943) was a New Zealand soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth ...

, soldier and VC recipient * Arihia Ngata, community leader

References

Populated places in the Gisborne District Landforms of the Gisborne District {{Gisborne-geo-stub