South Auckland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South Auckland is an area of southern Auckland, New Zealand characterised in the popular mind as a socio-economically below-average, and sometimes rough, urban area with a relatively large Polynesian and Māori population. The name South Auckland is not an official placename but is in popular use by New Zealanders. It is also used in the names of some organisations. Coverage of the name is not precisely defined and varies somewhat with the user.
The heart of South Auckland is the low socio-economic suburbs of Manukau City, typified by Otara but including Mangere and parts of Papatoetoe and Manurewa. Broadly speaking, South Auckland is the urban area stretching from the Auckland City suburbs of Onehunga, Penrose and Mount Wellington, or at the very least the narrowing of the isthmus at Otahuhu, southwards through to Franklin lying to the west and near east of the Southern Motorway (State Highway 1), to Papakura. It does not include the well-to-do, eastern Manukau City suburbs such as Pakuranga and Howick nor the large rural area of Manukau City. Usually the name does not include Franklin District, which lies south of Papakura.
Some of the suburbs contain predominantly state housing and these are the poorest suburbs of Auckland. The area contains the industrial heart of Auckland (Penrose, Mangere, Otahuhu, central Manukau, Mount Wellington and the Port of Onehunga), with factory floors staffed by South Aucklanders.
The area has a multiracial population including Pākehā (Europeans) and Asians as well as a relatively high proportion of Polynesians and Māori. This gives it a very cosmopolitan feel and a thriving culture, especially at street level, most often seen by visitors at the Saturday markets at Otara and Mangere. It is also one of the centres of hip hop culture and music in New Zealand. The Counties Manukau rugby team mainly draws players from South Auckland.
Historically the name South Auckland has had negative connotations with outsiders, being associated with deprivation, crime and violence. When street crime occurs in the area, the mass media have a tendency to use the name South Auckland rather than the name of a suburb or territorial authority. Manukau City mayor Barry Curtis has tried to discourage use of the name because of its negative connotations. Some young South Aucklanders, though, use the name with pride.
Celebrities who hail from South Auckland include cricketer Darryl Tuffey, who grew up in Manurewa, rugby union footballer Jonah Lomu, heavyweight boxer David Tua, the Right Honourable David Lange (born in Thames, grew up in Otahuhu) and hip hop artist Savage (rapper).
