Background
Waikato is a Māori iwi (tribe) from the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Actually a confederation of smaller tribes, it is also part of the larger confederation of Tainui, consisting of tribes descended from Polynesian migrants who arrived in New Zealand on the Tainui canoe. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori king, was a member of the Waikato sub-tribe of Ngāti Mahuta, and his descendants have succeeded him. The iwi is named after the Waikato River, which plays a large part in its history and culture.
Hamilton City is now the largest population center for the iwi. The township Ngaruawahia is important historically, and is the location of Turangawaewae marae, the centre of the Māori King Movement. In the 2006 census, 33,429 people in New Zealand indicated they were affiliated with Waikato (including those affiliated with more than one tribe).
Read more about this topic: Waikato (iwi)
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