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Urenui is a settlement in northern Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3 close to the shore of the North Taranaki Bight, 13 kilometres east of Waitara and 6 km south-west of Mimi. The Urenui River flows past the settlement into the North Taranaki Bight.[3][4]

Urenui
Coordinates: 38°59′52″S 174°23′25″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Taranaki
District	New Plymouth District
Ward	North
Area [1]
• Total	3.65 km2 (1.41 sq mi)
Population  (2018)[2]
• Total	411
• Density	110/km2 (290/sq mi)

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "great courage" for Urenui, noting that courage is "a figurative expression".[5] A fuller explanation is that the name was given by Manaia in honour of his well-endowed son. Ure means "penis", and nui means "large".[6] The town was the site of the Urenui Redoubt, created in winter 1865 during the Second Taranaki War. Originally envisioned as a settlement for Māori loyal to the colonial government, however by 1866 it was decided that the town should be a settlement for soldiers.[7]

Mail sent to addresses at Urenui must show both a PO box number and a street address.[8]

Demographics

Urenui is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 3.65 km² (1.41 sq mi). It is part of the wider Tikorangi statistical area, which covers 167.79 km² (64.78 sq mi).[1]

The population of Urenui was 411 in the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 18 (-4.2%) since the 2013 census, and also a decrease of 18 (-4.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 213 males and 201 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female. Ethnicities were 369 people (89.8%) European/Pākehā, 84 (20.4%) Māori, and 3 (0.7%) Asian (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). Of the total population, 60 people (14.6%) were under 15 years old, 45 (10.9%) were 15–29, 177 (43.1%) were 30–64, and 126 (30.7%) were over 65.[2]

Marae

Urenui Marae, located about 3 kilometres from the town, is the only remaining marae of Ngāti Mutunga. It includes Te Aroha meeting house.[9][10]

In October 2020, the Government committed $363,060 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, creating 21 jobs.[11]

Education

Urenui School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 90 students as of July 2022.[12][13] The school was founded in 1876 and celebrated its 125th jubilee in 2001.[14]

Notable people

• Māui Pōmare, politician
• Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck), doctor, politician

See also

• Ngati Mutunga
• Taranaki Region

References

Further reading

• Messenger, A. H.; Andrews, Edward Rolfe (1956), Urenui School 80th jubilee, 1876–1956: souvenir booklet, history of school and district, 1st and 2nd April, 1956, Urenui, [N.Z.] ; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Urenui School ; Taranaki Herald

• Buist, Alastair Gordon (1964), Archaeology in North Taranaki, New Zealand a study of field monuments in the Pukearuhe – Mimi-Urenui area, Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Archaeological Association

• Gumbley, Warren (1997), Archaeological mapping of pa in four Taranaki historic reserves, Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation

• de Jardine, Margaret (1992), The little ports of Taranaki: being Awakino, Mokau, Tongaporutu, Urenui, Waitara, Opunake, Patea, together with some historical background to each, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Margaret de Jardine

• "Ngati Mutunga (electronic resource)". Retrieved 29 January 2008.

• The history of Urenui: arrival of the first Maoris, New Plymouth, NZ: Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1930

• Buist, Alastair Gordon (1964), Archaeology in North Taranaki, New Zealand a study of field monuments in the Pukearuhe – Mimi-Urenui area, Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Archaeological Association

External links

• Urenui Marae
• Urenui School website

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