Whananaki is a locality on the east coast of Northland, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. Whangarei

Whangarei

Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...

 is to the southwest. Te Wairahi Stream flows from the northwest into Whananaki Inlet, a wide tidal estuary which separates Whananaki from Whananaki South. Sandy Bay lies to the southeast. A long wooden footbridge connects Whananaki North and Whananaki South, with an alternative connection being a 6 km long road that crosses the river above the estuary. Hikurangi

Hikurangi

Hikurangi is a settlement in Northland, New Zealand. The city of Whangarei is 17 km to the south, and Kawakawa is 39 km northwest. The Glenbervie Forest is southeast of the settlement. State Highway 1 once passed through the town, but now bypasses it to the west. Mount Hikurangi is a...

 is about 22 km southwest of Whananaki South.

The area was reputedly named by Puhi, the captain of the legendary waka

Waka (canoe)

Waka are Māori watercraft, usually canoes ranging in size from small, unornamented canoes used for fishing and river travel, to large decorated war canoes up to long...

 Mataatua

Mataatua

In Māori tradition, Mataatua was one of the great voyaging canoes by which Polynesians migrated to New Zealand. Māori traditions say that the Mataatua was initially sent from Hawaiki to bring supplies of kūmara to Māori settlements in New Zealand...

. Whananaki means "kicking" in the Māori language

Maori language

Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...

, and the name arose because mosquitoes caused Puhi to sleep restlessly.

Notable people

• Winston Peters
  Winston Peters
  Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
  
  , leader of New Zealand First
  New Zealand First
  New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
  
  .
• Jim Peters, politician.

Education

Whananaki School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating

Socio-Economic Decile

Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....

of 5 and a roll of 43.