NAPIER is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island
It is about 320 kilometres northeast of the capital city of Wellington

Napier has well-documented Maori history.
When the Ngati Kahungunu party of Taraia reached the district many centuries ago, the Whatumamoa, Rangitane and the Ngati Awa and elements of the Ngati Tara iwi existed in the nearby areas of Petane, Te Whanganui-a-Orotu and Waiohiki. Later, the Ngati Kahungunu became the dominant force from Poverty Bay to Wellington. They were one of the first Maori tribes to come in contact with European settlers.

Chief Te Ahuriri cut a channel into the lagoon space at Ahuriri because the Westshore entrance had become blocked, threatening cultivations surrounding the lagoon and the fishing villages on the islands in the lagoon. The rivers were continually feeding freshwater into the area.

The first European to see the future site of Napier was Captain James Cook, who sailed down the east coast in October 1769. He commented: "On each side of this bluff head is a low, narrow sand or stone beach, between these beaches and the mainland is a pretty large lake of salt water I suppose." He said the harbour entrance was at the Westshore end of the shingle beach. The site was subsequently visited and later settled by European traders, whalers and missionaries. By the 1850s, farmers and hotel-keepers arrived.


The Crown purchased the Ahuriri block (including the site of Napier) in 1851. In 1854 Alfred Domett, a future Prime Minister of New Zealand, was appointed as the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the resident magistrate at the village of Ahuriri. It was decided to place a planned town here, its streets and avenues were laid out, and the new town named for Sir Charles NAPIER, a military leader during the "Battle of Meeanee" founght in the province of Sindh, India.
Mr. DOMETT named many streets in Napier to commemorate the colonial era of the British Indian Empire.

This is a list of notable people who were born in NAPIER or who spent a significant part of their lives living in the region
- each name (at this link) is a link to a bio and some photos


Rita Angus ? painter

Mike Boon ? comedian

Chris Jackson ? Former New Zealand international and Napier City Rovers association football player

Spencer Gollan ? sportsman and racehorse owner

Debbie Harwood ? singer with When The Cat's Away

Paul Henare - Basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers and Tall Blacks

Simon Mannering ? New Zealand Warriors rugby league player and captain

Paratene Matchitt ? artist

Stuart Nash ? politician

Blair Peach ? political activist

John Psathas ? composer

Wil Sargisson- Jazz/Blues Piano Player

Darren Smith ? field hockey player

Chris Tremain ? politician

Kel Tremain ? former rugby player

Percy Valentine Storkey ? soldier and Victoria Cross winner

Alec Wishart ? Lead singer of band Hogsnort Rupert