Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Range. Ngāruawāhia is in the Hamilton Urban Area, the fourth largest urban area in New Zealand. The location was once considered as a potential capital of New Zealand. Demographics Ngāaruawāhia covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Ngāruawāhia had slightly smaller boundaries in the 2018 Census, covering . It had a population of 6,621, an increase of 1,257 people (23.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,287 people (24.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,962 households, comprising 3,234 males and 3,384 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 1,914 people (28.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,434 (21.7%) aged 15 to 29, 2,661 (40.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 606 (9.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 54.2% European/Pākehā, 58.7% Māori, 5.9% Pacific peoples, 3.1% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 8.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.5% had no religion, 30.4% were Christian, 6.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.4% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 579 (12.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,155 (24.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 468 people (9.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,391 (50.8%) people were employed full-time, 558 (11.9%) were part-time, and 348 (7.4%) were unemployed. History Early history The name Ngāruawāhia means "the opened food pits", which derives from a great feast in the 17th century. Te Ngaere, a Ngāti Tamainupō chief, and Heke-i-te-rangi, a Ngāti Maniapoto woman, had eloped and settled at Ngāruawāhia, causing a rift between their tribes. When their first child was born, Ngāti Maniapoto were invited to the celebration in an attempt to reconcile the tribes. Te Ngaere's father named the boy Te Mana-o-te-rangi in honour of Ngāti Maniapoto. Peace was established between the tribes, and Te Ngaere shouted "Wāhia ngā rua" (break open the food pits). Invasion When Rangiriri pā was taken by General