Eketāhuna has become synonymous with stereotypes of remote rural New Zealand towns, with New Zealanders colloquially referring to the town in the same way other English speakers refer to Timbuktu.[4]
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "land on the sandbank" for Eketāhuna.[5] When pronounced in the typical Pākehā way, the name sounds like the Afrikaans sentence "I have a chicken" (Afrikaans: Ek het 'n hoender), making it amusing to immigrant Afrikaans-speaking South Africans in New Zealand.[6]
Eketāhuna was settled in 1872, under the name Mellemskov.[6] It was renamed soon after its founding.[8]
Modern history
The population of Eketāhuna and the wider area has plummeted in the 21st century, dropping from 1,920 in 1996 to just 630 in 2013.[9]
On 20 January 2014, the town was the epicentre of the 2014 Eketāhuna earthquake. Measuring 6.2 on the Richter magnitude scale, the quake caused moderate damage all over the southern North Island.[10]
The Eketahuna Borough Council existed from 1907 until 1974 where it superseded by Eketahuna County Council which was later merged into Tararua District.
Name
Term
1
Alfred Henry Herbert
1907-1909
2
Edward Page
1909-1912
3
F.C. Turnor
1912-1919
4
T. Parsons
1919-1921
5
P. Pike
1921-1923
6
W. Simpson
1923-1927
7
T.M. Page
1927-1929
(6)
W. Simpson
1929-1940
8
W. Olsen
1940-1944
9
O. Walton
1944-1950
10
D.D. Ryan
1950-1953
11
S. Young
1953-1959
12
Victor Anderson
1959-1968
13
Graham Adam
1968-1974
Demography
Eketāhuna is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, which covers 4.18 km2 (1.61 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 540 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 129 people per km2. It is part of the wider Nireaha-Eketahuna statistical area.
Eketāhuna had a population of 504 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 60 people (13.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 48 people (10.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 222 households, comprising 255 males and 249 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 81 people (16.1%) aged under 15 years, 87 (17.3%) aged 15 to 29, 234 (46.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 102 (20.2%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 85.1% European/Pākehā, 31.5% Māori, 2.4% Pasifika, 1.8% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.4% had no religion, 30.4% were Christian, 1.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.2% were Hindu and 3.6% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (7.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 126 (29.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 21 people (5.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 156 (36.9%) people were employed full-time, 69 (16.3%) were part-time, and 36 (8.5%) were unemployed.[12]
Nireaha-Eketāhuna
Nireaha-Eketāhuna statistical area covers 892.62 km2 (344.64 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 1,680 as of June 2023,[13] with a population density of 1.9 people per km2.
Nireaha-Eketāhuna had a population of 1,566 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 114 people (7.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 69 people (4.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 597 households, comprising 816 males and 750 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.09 males per female. The median age was 37.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 366 people (23.4%) aged under 15 years, 261 (16.7%) aged 15 to 29, 726 (46.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 207 (13.2%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 89.8% European/Pākehā, 22.6% Māori, 1.1% Pasifika, 1.7% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 8.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.7% had no religion, 28.0% were Christian, 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 138 (11.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 291 (24.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 108 people (9.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 594 (49.5%) people were employed full-time, 246 (20.5%) were part-time, and 60 (5.0%) were unemployed.[14]
Economy
In 2018, 5.0% of the workforce worked in manufacturing, 6.1% worked in construction, 5.0% worked in hospitality, 1.4% worked in transport, 3.9% worked in education, and 6.4% worked in healthcare.[9]
Transport
As of 2018, among those who commute to work, 46.4% drove a car, 3.2% rode in a car and 2.9% walked or jogged. No one commuted by public transport or cycled.[9]
Education
Eketāhuna School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[15][16] with a roll of 104 as of August 2024.[17]
Tania Lineham, born 1966 in Eketāhuna. Royal Society of New Zealand, Science and Technology Teacher Fellowship in 1999 and the Prime Minister's Science Teacher Prize in 2015.