# Tautoro

Tautoro is a locality about 8 km (5.0 mi) south-southeast of Kaikohe in Northland, New Zealand. Further to the south is the Awarua rural community. The eastern part of the locality has a hill Tautoro at 463 m (1,519 ft) in height, and Lake Tauanui which has sometimes also been given the locality's name.

## History and culture

Tautoro has Ngāpuhi marae:
* Kaikou Marae and Eparaima Makapi meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Hine.
* Kaingahoa Mataraua Marae and Tūmanako meeting house are affiliated with Ngāi Tāwake ki te Waoku and Ngāti Rangi.
* Te Maata Marae and Te Whare Huinga are connected to Ngāti Moerewa and Ngāti Rangi.
* Te Rīngi and Māhūhū ki te Rangi meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Moerewa.
* Māhūhū ki te Rangi Marae and meeting house belong to Ngāti Moerewa.
* Te Hungāiti is also a meeting ground for both hapū.
In October 2020, the Government committed $90,424 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Te Maata Marae and Te Kotahitanga Marae, creating 12 jobs.
The Awarua community has two Ngāpuhi marae:
* Te Hūruhi Marae and Ngāti Māhia meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Māhia
* Ururangi Marae and meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Māhia

### Name

Tautoro can mean to stretch forward and there are two versions of how the Ngāpuhi ancestor Rāhiri, gave the name. Either at Tautoro he rested, stretching out his cloak string (tau: string; toro: to stretch) or his shoulder garment was burnt (tau: cord; toro: burned).

## Demographics

Tautoro is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 43.07 km$^2$ (16.63 sq mi). The SA1 area is part of the larger Mataraua Forest statistical area.
The SA1 statistical area had a population of 231 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (10.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 18 people (8.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 114 males and 120 females in 66 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 60 people (26.0%) aged under 15 years, 39 (16.9%) aged 15 to 29, 96 (41.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (14.3%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 35.1% European (Pākehā); 80.5% Māori; 6.5% Pasifika; 1.3% Asian; and 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA). English was spoken by 94.8%, and Māori language by 28.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 33.8% Christian, 2.6% Māori religious beliefs, 1.3% Buddhist, 1.3% New Age, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 46.8%, and 14.3% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 18 (10.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 99 (57.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 48 (28.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $25,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3 people (1.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 60 (35.1%) people were employed full-time, 18 (10.5%) were part-time, and 12 (7.0%) were unemployed.

### Mataraua Forest statistical area

The statistical area of Mataraua Forest covers 272.81 km$^2$ (105.33 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 600 as of June 2024, with a population density of 2.2 people per km$^2$.
Mataraua Forest had a population of 537 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 30 people (5.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 60 people (12.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 270 males and 270 females in 177 dwellings. 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 117 people (21.8%) aged under 15 years, 99 (18.4%) aged 15 to 29, 231 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 93 (17.3%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 40.2% European (Pākehā); 74.9% Māori; 6.7% Pasifika; 1.1% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.1%, Māori language by 24.6%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 1.7%. No language could be spoken by 3.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 8.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 40.2% Christian, 2.2% Māori religious beliefs, 1.1% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 45.3%, and 10.6% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 39 (9.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 240 (57.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 132 (31.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $27,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 12 people (2.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 156 (37.1%) people were employed full-time, 48 (11.4%) were part-time, and 36 (8.6%) were unemployed.

## Education

Tautoro School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 162 students as of August 2024.
The school celebrated its centenary in 2006. It was originally called Tautoro Native School.