Te Kuiti, New Zealand
| Te Kuiti | |
|---|---|
| Minor urban area | |
 Te Kuiti
|
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| Coordinates: 38°20′S 175°10′E / 38.333°S 175.167°ECoordinates: 38°20′S 175°10′E / 38.333°S 175.167°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| Territorial authority | Waitomo District |
| Population (June 2016) | |
| • Total | 4,630 |
| Postcode(s) | 3910 |
Te Kuiti is a small town in the north of the King Country region of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the junction of State Highways 3 and 30 and on the North Island Main Trunk railway, 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Hamilton. At the 2001 census it had a resident population of 4,374, a decrease of 5.1% since 1991. The town promotes itself as the sheep shearing capital of the world and is host to the annual New Zealand National Shearing Championships.
Te Kuiti is approximately 80 km south of Hamilton and 19 km south-east of Waitomo. The area around Te Kuiti, commonly known as the King Country, gives its name to the Heartland Championship rugby team based in Te Kuiti.
Te Kuiti is the Maori name given to the area. In its original form of "Te Kuititanga", it literally means "the valley", "the squeezing in" or "the narrowing".
The "Shearing Capital of the World" contains the world's largest shearer, seven metres high. On 1 April 2006 the largest sheep show in the world took place here, with more than 2000 sheep.
The carved Te Tokanganui-A-Noho Meeting House was gifted to the local Maori people (Ngāti Maniapoto) by Te Kooti, the most famous Maori Rebel leader of the 19th century. He was given sanctuary by the Chiefs of Maniapoto against the white colonial Government of New Zealand and under Maniapoto's protection carved one of the most famous and important late 19th century spiritual house in the north island.(as mentioned above). This House is central to Te Kuiti's historical foundation, also referred to as the epicenter of the Rohe Pōtae.. "King Country"...In 1881 the last frontier was open to colonial settlers.
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