Paihia
Encyclopedia
Paihia is the main tourist town in the Bay of Islands
in the far north of the North Island
of New Zealand
. It is located close to the historic towns of Russell
, and Kerikeri
, 60 kilometres north of Whangarei
. The origin of the name Paihia is obscure. One, possibily apocryphal, attribution is to Reverend Henry Williams
. When Williams first arrived in the Bay of Islands he knew only a little of the Māori vocabulary
, one of the words he did know being ‘pai’ meaning 'good'. When they came to the place now known as Paihia, he told his Māori guide ‘Pai here’. Henry Williams named the missionary station Marsden's Vale; eventually the name Paihia became the accepted name of the settlement.
Nearby is the historic settlement of Waitangi
to the north, and the residential and commercial areas of Haruru Falls/Watea to the west; the township of Opua
and the small settlement of Te Haumi
to the south.
The population of Paihia was 1770 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 69 from 2001.
and his wife Marianne
settled in Paihia in 1823 and built the first church in New Zealand there the same year. William Williams
and his wife Jane
joined the Pahia mission in 1826. Bishop
William Grant Broughton
(the first and only Bishop of Australia) visited the Paihia mission in 1838 and performed several firsts in New Zealand including the first Confirmation and Ordination
ceremonies.
In December 1832 the first mention of cricket
being played in New Zealand was recorded by Henry Williams. In 1835 a game of cricket was witnessed here by Charles Darwin
, in December 1835 while the Beagle spent 10 days in the Bay of Islands
. Caroline Fitzgerald, (2011) Te Wiremu - Henry Williams: Early Years in the North p. 219-230
In 1835 William Colenso
set up the first printing press
in New Zealand at Paihia.
St. Paul's Anglican Church, completed in 1925, is the fifth church build on the site. It is constructed of stone quarried from Pukaru, near Kawakawa
and timber from near Waikare
.
of 4 and a roll of 168.
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
in the far north of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of 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...
. It is located close to the historic towns of Russell
Russell, New Zealand
Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island. As at the 2006 census it had a resident population of 816, an increase of 12 from 2001...
, and Kerikeri
Kerikeri
Kerikeri, the largest town in the Northland Region of New Zealand, is a popular tourist destination about three hours drive north of Auckland, and 80 km north of Whangarei...
, 60 kilometres north of 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...
. The origin of the name Paihia is obscure. One, possibily apocryphal, attribution is to Reverend Henry Williams
Henry Williams (missionary)
Henry Williams was one of the first missionaries who went to New Zealand in the first half of the 19th century....
. When Williams first arrived in the Bay of Islands he knew only a little of the Māori vocabulary
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...
, one of the words he did know being ‘pai’ meaning 'good'. When they came to the place now known as Paihia, he told his Māori guide ‘Pai here’. Henry Williams named the missionary station Marsden's Vale; eventually the name Paihia became the accepted name of the settlement.
Nearby is the historic settlement of Waitangi
Waitangi, Northland
For the main port and settlement at the Chatham Islands, see Waitangi, Chatham IslandsWaitangi is a township located in the Bay of Islands on the North Island of New Zealand. It is located close to the town of Paihia , 60 kilometres north of Whangarei...
to the north, and the residential and commercial areas of Haruru Falls/Watea to the west; the township of Opua
Opua
Opua is a locality in the Bay of Islands, in the sub-tropical Northland Region of New Zealand. It is notable as the first port for overseas yachts arriving in the country after crossing the Pacific Ocean...
and the small settlement of Te Haumi
Te Haumi
Te Haumi is a settlement south-east of Paihia and north-west of Opua in the Bay of Islands area of Northland Region, New Zealand....
to the south.
The population of Paihia was 1770 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 69 from 2001.
History
Missionary Henry WilliamsHenry Williams (missionary)
Henry Williams was one of the first missionaries who went to New Zealand in the first half of the 19th century....
and his wife Marianne
Marianne Williams
Marianne Williams together with her sister-in-law Jane Williams were pioneering educators in New Zealand. They set up the first schools for Māori children and adults as well as educating the children of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
settled in Paihia in 1823 and built the first church in New Zealand there the same year. William Williams
William Williams (bishop)
William Williams was the first Anglican Bishop of Waiapu and the father and grandfather of two others. He led the CMS missionaries in the translation of the Bible into Māori and he published an early dictionary and grammar of the Māori language.-Early life:Williams was born in Nottingham to Thomas...
and his wife Jane
Jane Williams (missionary)
Jane Williams née Jane Nelson , was a pioneering educator in New Zealand. Together with her sister-in-law Marianne Williams and others she set up the first schools for Māori children and adults...
joined the Pahia mission in 1826. Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
William Grant Broughton
William Grant Broughton
William Grant Broughton was the first Bishop of Australia of the Church of England....
(the first and only Bishop of Australia) visited the Paihia mission in 1838 and performed several firsts in New Zealand including the first Confirmation and Ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
ceremonies.
In December 1832 the first mention of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
being played in New Zealand was recorded by Henry Williams. In 1835 a game of cricket was witnessed here by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, in December 1835 while the Beagle spent 10 days in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
. Caroline Fitzgerald, (2011) Te Wiremu - Henry Williams: Early Years in the North p. 219-230
In 1835 William Colenso
William Colenso
William Colenso was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.-Life:Born in Penzance, Cornwall, he was the cousin of John William Colenso, Bishop of Natal...
set up the first printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
in New Zealand at Paihia.
St. Paul's Anglican Church, completed in 1925, is the fifth church build on the site. It is constructed of stone quarried from Pukaru, near Kawakawa
Kawakawa, New Zealand
Kawakawa is a small town in the Northland Region of northern New Zealand. It had a population of 1347 at the 2006 census, down from 1401 in 2001. Kawakawa developed as a service town when coal was found in the area in 1861, but there is no longer coal mining here...
and timber from near Waikare
Waikare
Waikare is a locality in Northland, New Zealand. The Waikare River flows from the Russell Forest past Waikare and into the Waikare Inlet, which leads into the Bay of Islands.The population is largely of the Te Kapotai hapū and Ngāti Pare iwi.-Education:...
.
Education
Paihia School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile ratingSocio-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 4 and a roll of 168.