Otaika


Otaika is a village 7 km to the south of Whangārei in Northland, New Zealand. The Otaika Stream runs from the north west, through the area, and into the Whangārei Harbour. State Highway 1 runs through the locality. The hill Tikorangi lies to the South. Tikorangi is a source of limestone for Portland Cement.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of lying in a heap" for Ōtāika.

History

In the 1830s, Okaika was a Māori village of Te Parawhau hapū. Tiakiriri was the chief. The first Pakeha settlers were Frederick and George Taylor, who were living at Otaika by 1856. More Pākehā settled further up the Okaika Valley around this time. George Edge's wandering geese were sometimes eaten by locals, leading to a nickname for the valley of "Kai-goose".
The local Toetoe Marae and Toetoe meeting house, located north of the village on the northern shores of the Otaika Stream, is a tribal meeting ground for the Ngāpuhi hapū of Te Parawhau and Te Uriroroi, and the Ngāti Whātua hapū of Te Uriroroi.

Demographics

The statistical area of Otaika-Portland, which also includes Portland, had a population of 1,338 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 192 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 231 people since the 2006 census. There were 444 households. There were 687 males and 648 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female. Of the total population, 270 people were aged up to 15 years, 228 were 15 to 29, 648 were 30 to 64, and 195 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
Ethnicities were 83.4% European/Pākehā, 30.5% Māori, 3.8% Pacific peoples, 2.0% Asian, and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 58.1% had no religion, 27.4% were Christian, and 4.5% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 138 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 234 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,200. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 570 people were employed full-time, 159 were part-time, and 36 were unemployed.

Education

Otaika Valley School is a coeducational contributing primary school with a roll of students as of