Rongowhakaata grows in strength and leadership

What the 2024 Census data reveals.

The picture the 2204 Census data released today, paints a vital future for Rongowhakaata. Growing by over 80% since 2023, the Iwi is now “officially” 9,021 strong. Rates of tertiary qualification within Rongowhakaata are double that of the national average for Māori, with 42.6% of Rongowhakaata learners leaving school with Level 3 qualifications or higher.

This is exciting for the region in terms of leadership, and evidence that Rongowhakaata are changing the script from poverty to vitality. What I can see in the numbers is that we are an Iwi that has a high level of education, high rates of employment, working strongly across the education, health and social services sectors.

The other thing that is significant is the growth of our rangatahi. Tūranganui-a-Kiwa now holds the highest proportion of residents of Māori descent in the country, and 53.4% of Rongowhakaata were under the age of 30 in 2023.

Power in our region is going to shift towards our rangatahi, and most of our rangatahi are reo speakers, they've grown up through kura kaupapa. It is this generation who will be leading and driving the Māori economy into the future.

Gisborne is not somewhere you just come to retire. We are a growing and thriving community which will be led forward by Māori.

The new data recording approaches introduced in the 2023 Census empower us with greater access and ownership over our own story. This not only strengthens our ability to tell our story but also provides us with the mandate to lead meaningful change across our region.

We have been working hard to grow people’s connection to their Iwi and the data released today reflects this. Connection to our place, our Taiao, our relationship with our Tūranga and Tairawhiti people and our connection back to our identity through the arts.

Teina Moetara | Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust Kaihautū