Whirinaki (Northland)

Whirinaki is a village south of the Hokianga Harbour in the Far North District of Northland Region in the North Island of New Zealand. The name means " to lean against a pillar ." State Highway 12 runs through the town. Opononi located 6 km to the southwest. The nearest towns are Oue, Karuhiruhi and Opara in the north and northwest and Koutu and Motutoa in the West. The Whirinaki River flows through the village and ends shortly thereafter in the Hokianga.

The village has about 200 inhabitants, 90% of Māori. A large part of the population lives on Papakāinga country.

The area was invaded by Te Roroa in 1810 or 1811 during the Musketenkriege, while all inhabitants situated near the village Opara were killed.

Education

The Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Tonga o Hokianga is a co-educational primary school for 1st - 8th grade. She had a decile rating of 2 in 2009 and 56 students. It is a Kura Kaupapa Māori, a school which teaches fully in the Māori language. In the early mid-20th century there had been a native school in town, the Whirinaki Native School.