Census Snapshot: Iwi

Highlights from the Census, as they relate to iwi, are:

Demographics

  • the 2001 Census, 604,110 people, or 18% of the NZ population, said they were of Maori descent. This is an increase of 4% since the 1996 Census.
  • out of five people of Maori descent (80%) reported one or more iwi affiliations. Of these people, 64% reported one iwi, 24% reported two iwi, and 12% reported three or more iwi. People of Maori descent living in the South Island were more likely to give single iwi responses than those in the North Island.
  • percent of the Maori descent population (111,810 people) who answered the iwi question did not know the name(s) of their iwi.
  • people were less likely to know their iwi than older people; 21% of the under-40 year age group did not know the name of their iwi compared with 14% of the 40 and over age group.
  • of iwi varied across the different iwi groups. The 10 largest iwi in 2001 were: Ngapuhi (102,981), Ngati Porou (61,701), Ngati Kahungunu(1) (51,552), Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu (39,180), Waikato (35,781), Ngati Tuwharetoa (29,30), Tuhoe (29,259), Ngati Maniapoto (27,168), Te Atiawa(2) (17,445), and Ngati Awa (13,044).
  • other South Island or Chatham Island iwi recorded more than 2,500 members in the 2001 Census.
  • Maori descent population is a youthful population overall. In 2001, 37% of the Maori descent population were aged less than 15 years, and only 3% were aged 65 years and over. Of the 10 largest iwi, Tuhoe and Ngati Tuwharetoa had the youngest populations. Forty-two percent of Tuhoe and 40% of Ngati Tüwharetoa were under the age of 15 years in 2001. By contrast, Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu and Te Atiawa each had the lowest proportion of people under 15 years of age – both 35%.
  • of the Maori descent population lived in the Auckland region, and a further 13% in the Waikato region. In total, 86% of the Maori descent population lived in the North Island.
  • Maori affiliated to North Island-based iwi, most lived in the North Island, although considerable numbers did not live in their tribal area or rohe. For example, just 19% of Ngati Porou, an East Coast-based iwi, lived in the Gisborne region. Fifty-six percent of Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu, a South Island-based iwi, lived in the South Island.
  • iwi members lived in urban areas in 2001. For the 10 largest iwi, proportions living in urban areas ranged from 88% (Te Atiawa) to 81% (Ngati Awa and Tühoe).

Note: (1) Includes Ngati Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngati Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngati Kahungunu region unspecified, Ngati Kahungunu ki Whanganui a Orotu, Ngati Kahungunu ki Tamatea, and Ngati Kahungunu ki Tamakinui a Rua. (2) Includes Te Atiawa (Taranaki), Te Atiawa (Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington), Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Te Atiawa (Te Waipounamu/South Island), and Te Atiawa region unspecified.

Social Characteristics

  • those people of Maori descent who stated that they were able to speak a language, the proportion who were able to converse in te reo Maori varied considerably by iwi. Of the 10 largest iwi, Tuhoe (42%) and Ngati Awa (36%) had the highest proportions of people who could hold a conversation in te reo Maori, compared with 20% of Te Atiawa and 13% of Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu members.
  • two most common religions reported by the Maori descent population were Anglican (15%) and Catholic (14%). Eight percent of Maori descendants stated an affiliation with the Ratana religion and a further 2% with the Ringatu religion. Of the 10 largest iwi, members of Ngati Tuwharetoa (18%) and Ngati Kahungunu (13%) were most likely to affiliate with Ratana. Tuhoe (18%) and Ngati Awa members (16%) had the highest proportions of members who stated Ringatu as their religion.
  • 2001, 59% of the Maori descent population aged 15 and over held a formal educational qualification. Of the 10 largest iwi, members of Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu and Te Atiawa had the highest proportion of members with a qualification (70 and 68%, respectively).
  • percent of adults of Maori descent were in the labour force in 2001. Labour force participation rates varied between 72% (Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu) and 68% (Ngapuhi) among the 10 largest iwi. The lowest unemployment rate was for Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu (10%).
  • in five adults of Maori descent said they had worked without pay for organisations or groups such as marae in the four weeks prior to the 2001 Census. Participation in this type of voluntary work ranged from 28% of Ngati Awa and 26% of Tuhoe members to 21 of Ngapuhi and 20% of Ngai Tahu/Käi Tahu members.
  • over one-third (35%) of the Mäori descent population aged 15 years of age and over owned their own home in 2001 (with or without a mortgage). The proportion of homeowners in the 10 largest iwi ranged from 45% of Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu members to 27% of Tuhoe members.
  • people of Maori descent (90%) lived in households with access to a telephone and 29% had Internet access. Of the 10 largest iwi, members of Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu and Te Atiawa were most likely to have household access to a telephone (96% and 94%, respectively), while Tuhoe members had the lowest level of household telephone access (84%). Ngai Tahu/Kai Tahu had the highest proportion of members living in households with access to the Internet (40%).

2001 Census releases, along with additional information, are available free on the Statistics NZ website – www.stats.govt.nz – under “Census 2001”. You are welcome to reproduce and publish this information provided you acknowledge Statistics NZ as the source.

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