Village in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Omahu is a village in the Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island . It is located on State Highway 50 , north-west of Hastings on the north bank of the Ngaruroro River .[ 1]
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "the place where Mahu ran out of food" for Ōmahu .[ 2]
A missionary site was established at Omahu in the early 19th century.[ 3]
Omahu was inundated by flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 after the Ngaruroro River burst its banks, destroying dozens of houses.[ 4]
Marae
The area has two Ngāti Kahungunu marae . Omāhu Marae is a meeting place for Ngāi Te Ūpokoiri , Ngāti Hinemanu , Ngāti Honomōkai and Ngāti Mahuika ; it includes the Kahukuranui meeting house. Te Āwhina Marae is a meeting place for Te Ūpokoiri , Ngāti Hinemanu , Ngāti Mahuika ; its meeting house has been demolished.[ 5] [ 6]
In October 2020, the Government committed $6,020,910 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade a group of 18 marae, including Omāhu Marae. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.[ 7]
Education
Omahu School is a co-educational state primary school,[ 8] with a roll of 23 as of February 2024.[ 9] [ 10]
References
Populated places
Geographic features Government