South Auckland

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South Auckland is an imprecisely defined area of Auckland, New Zealand, often stereotyped as a socio-economically disadvantaged, and sometimes rough, urban area^[1] with a relatively large Polynesian and Māori population. The name South Auckland is not an official place name but is in common use^[2] by New Zealanders. It is also used in the names of some organizations and companies.

Since the 1970s the term "South Auckland" has had negative connotations with outsiders, being associated with deprivation, crime and violence.^[1] When street crime occurs in the area, the mass media tend to use the generic "South Auckland" phrase, with its vague and unfortunate stereotypes, rather than the correct name of a suburb or territorial authority.^[1] Previous Manukau City mayor Barry Curtis tried to discourage use of the name because of its negative connotations. Many South Auckland youth, however, use the name with pride.

Geography

The heart of South Auckland is the low socio-economic suburbs of Manukau City, typified by Otara but including Papatoetoe. Mangere and Manurewa. Broadly speaking, South Auckland is the urban area stretching from the Auckland City suburb of Onehunga, or at the very least the narrowing of the Auckland isthmus at Otahuhu, southwards through the Manukau City suburbs lying to the west and near east of Auckland's Southern Motorway (State Highway 1), to Papakura. The area does not include the more well-to-do, eastern and northern Manukau City suburbs such as Pakuranga and Howick nor the large rural area of Manukau City. The name does not include Franklin District, which lies south of Papakura.

Prior to the 1970s, South Auckland encompassed the region from Otahuhu south to Mercer, and from the west coast to the Firth of Thames, including the southern towns of Pukekohe, Tuakau and Waiuku.^[1]

Auckland Airport is located in South Auckland, as well as several other places of interest, including the amusement park Rainbow's End, the Auckland Botanic Gardens and one of the oldest shopping malls in the country, now called Westfield Manukau City.

Some of the suburbs in South Auckland contain predominantly state housing and are the poorest suburbs of Auckland. The area also contains the industrial heartland of Auckland (Mangere, Otahuhu, Manukau CBD, and the Port of Onehunga), with workshops, factories and warehouses providing work for many Aucklanders.

People

The area has a multiracial population including Pākehā (European New Zealanders) and Asians as well as a relatively high proportion of Polynesians and Māori (indigenous New Zealanders). 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, Manurewa and Mangere.

Manukau City uses the slogan "Face of the Future" to reflect its youthful demographic, having one of the highest proportion of people under 18. South Auckland is also a major centre of hip hop culture and music in New Zealand.

People who hail from South Auckland include Olympic champion John Walker, mountaineer Edmund Hillary, and former Prime Minister David Lange. Many successful sportspeople are South Aucklanders; including rugby union footballers Jonah Lomu and Eric Rush, rugby league legend Ruben Wiki, heavyweight boxer David Tua, cricketer Daryl Tuffey, kick boxer Mark Hunt and hip hop music artists Young Sid and Savage.

References

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1. ^ ^{a b c d} Ringer, Bruce (28 November 2008). "Give South Auckland a little respect". New Zealand Herald. p. A15. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10545407&pnum=0. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
2. ^ Stabbing in South Auckland, NZ Herald, 27 Aug 2009