The local
Ngāti Porou hapū of
Te Aitanga a Mate takes its name from a common ancestor, Materoa. The Whareponga Marae, also affiliated with the
Ngāi Tangihaere hapū, includes a
meeting house named after Materoa. Since the 19th century, most of the hapū has migrated to larger centres. New homes were built for returning families in 2017, with funding from
Te Puni Kōkiri. ==Demographics==