From the country to the city, and how people shape places

Migration isn't only about crossing oceans. One of the biggest and fastest moves in New Zealand's history happened within the country.

A fast move

Before the Second World War, more than 80% of Māori lived in rural areas, mostly in their own tribal districts. During the war, young Māori were sent to work in city factories. After the war, towns and cities needed workers, while there was not enough land at home to support a growing population. In 1945, about a quarter of Māori lived in towns and cities. By 1966 it was 62%, and by 1986 it was nearly 80%.

Drift or decision?

People once called this the 'urban drift'. But for most Māori it was a deliberate choice to go where the work, money and excitement were. After the 1961 Hunn Report, the government also encouraged whole families to relocate with help finding houses and jobs.

Consequences

How people shape places

Every group that moves changes the place it arrives in. You can see it in shops and restaurants, churches, temples and gurdwaras, languages on signs, festivals like Diwali and Pasifika, sports teams and street names. Migrants have built businesses, filled jobs as nurses, builders and farm workers, and been elected to councils and Parliament. They have also faced barriers: discrimination, learning a new language, and qualifications from home not being recognised here.

Maps of growth and decline

A choropleth map shades areas darker or lighter to show a number, like how fast the population is growing. It can show at a glance which suburbs are filling up and which are emptying out, so you can start asking why.