Ngaruawahia, New Zealand

Ngāruawāhia
Town
Waikato River passing through Ngāruawāhia
Population (2010 estimate)
• Territorial	5,506
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12)
• Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)

Ngāruawāhia (Māori pronunciation: [ŋaːɾʉaˈwaːhia]) (pop. 5,506) is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Range. Ngāruawāhia lies within the Hamilton Urban Area, the fourth largest urban area in New Zealand. The location was once considered as a potential capital of New Zealand and is regarded as the Māoridom capital.

The name Ngāruawāhia means "the opened food pits", which derives from a great feast in the 17th century. Te Ngaere, a Ngāti Tamainupō chief, and Heke-i-te-rangi, a Ngāti Maniapoto woman, had eloped and settled at Ngāruawāhia, causing a rift between their tribes. When their first child was born, Ngāti Maniapoto were invited to the celebration in an attempt to reconcile the tribes. Te Ngaere's father named the boy Te Mana-o-te-rangi in honour of Ngāti Maniapoto. Peace was established between the tribes, and Te Ngaere shouted "Wāhia ngā rua" (break open the food pits).

During the 19th century, Ngaruawahia was named Queenstown and then Newcastle. However, the town returned to the original name in 1878. Despite Māori protest, sales of confiscated land went ahead in 1864, shortly after the invasion.

A 100 hp (75 kW) gas power station was built in Herschell St in 1913 by the Town Board for lighting. It used Glen Massey coal, which was converted to gas in a Cambridge Patent Gas Producer (many were used about this time in Australasia) and used to drive a 2-cylinder gas engine. It closed in 1924. Much of the machinery was removed in 1950 and from 1954 the building was used as a scout hall.

Officers from the United States visited Ngaruawahia during World War II and would share food at Hāngis.Queen Elizabeth II has visited Ngaruawahia on two occasions (1953 & 1974). On the latter occasion, then Māori Queen Dame Te Ātairangikaahu and her husband Whatumoana Paki welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to the local marae.The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival was held in 1973, and featured many music acts, including some that went on to become internationally famous such as Black Sabbath and Split Enz. It was the first large outdoor music festival in New Zealand.