Hari Hari

The name Hari Hari, has a Māori meaning, from Te Aka Māori/English Dictionary, as "to take/carry joy" or, as local legend suggests, "come together in unison" from a Māori canoe paddling chant/song. Williams' dictionary gives "Harihari" as the correct spelling for that meaning. while Te Aka online Maori Dictionary states "Harihari" (one word) can mean a medium sized clam. Also, "waka harihari tūroro", has the meaning of "ambulance" (according to the Te Aka Dictionary). In recent years, Hari Hari has been increasingly referred to as "Harihari". No official statutory process has taken place in order for this to happen. Many local residents are upset about the growing number of official websites, and official documentation, referring to Hari Hari as being "Harihari". The greater community insists that they were not informed or talked to about this matter, and are against the gradual unofficial change. Some are being active about keeping their town's name the same, and have involved the Department of Māori Affairs about the tampering with of a traditional Māori place name. Town signs around Hari Hari still state the name is Hari Hari. One newly placed town distance sign in Whataroa shows the name "Harihari". The town was named Hari Hari in September, 1908, when a post office was needed for the township. Local historian, Vic Berry writes about this, with a photo, in his popular West Coast book. "Goa Way back- Early Hari Hari". Although, there is one record of the town being named "Harihari" in 1955. There are conficting sources of information in relation to the original name, to this day. Thought to be caused by surveyors, over the decades. the office was opened on 18 September 1908. ==Demographics==

Hari Hari is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Whataroa-Harihari statistical area. Hari Hari had a population of 240 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−1.2%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 24 people (−9.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 105 households, comprising 123 males and 120 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 42 people (17.5%) aged under 15 years, 33 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 117 (48.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (20.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 91.2% European/Pākehā, 10.0% Māori, 2.5% Pasifika, 2.5% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.8% had no religion, 30.0% were Christian and 2.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (31.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 15 people (7.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 90 (45.5%) people were employed full-time, 39 (19.7%) were part-time, and 3 (1.5%) were unemployed. Whataroa-Harihari statistical area Whataroa-Harihari statistical area, which also includes Whataroa, covers ==Education==

South Westland Area School is a coeducational composite school (years 1–15), with a roll of students as of It opened in 1969, replacing Hari Hari School which had existed since 1865. The school has a satellite class at Franz Josef Glacier School. There is also a University of Canterbury Field Station, "The Green Elephant". ==Climate==

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