Paroa is a rural locality situated near Whakatāne in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. The small, predominantly Māori community is located along State Highway 30, and contains a school and a sports rugby club.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "broad fortified village" for "Pāroa".
Marae.
Puawairua Marae, located in Paroa, is a traditional meeting ground for the Ngāti Awa hapū of Ngāti Hikakino.
In October 2020, the Government committed $4,871,246 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Puawairua Marae and 11 other Ngāti Awa marae, creating 23 jobs.
Education.
Te Kura o Te Paroa is a co-educational state Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 301 as of November 2024.
References.
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