Tauranga a te Toka

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Tauranga a te Toka is the largest city in the Oan Isles. It has been continuously habited since 1300 BCE. It started as Tupakehekane which was destroyed. Then it was replaced by Toru Nui, which was renamed to Tauranga a te Toka, or Tauranga as it is simply known. It lies on Tokamotu and borders Kokorutaone to the south while Tokapa is an hour and half away by road while Anapa lies to the north across the Twin Island Straits. The city is the most populous city in the country with over 5.7 million people and it is also the centre of industry and trade. Well-known for its nightlife, shopping and ancient ruins, it attracts tourists and is an important part of Oan cultural heritage.

Tauranga a te Toka
Port of the Rock
Tauranga a te Toka Municipality
Nickname(s): 
Te Tauranga
The Port
Prehistoric settlement1300; 724 years ago (1300)
Tupakehekane450; 1574 years ago (450)
Toru Nui670; 1354 years ago (670)
Founded byKing Uha of Toka (as Toru Nui)
Emperor Mikaere (as Tauranga a te Toka)
Government
 • TypeMetropolitan municipal government
 • KoromatuaAlice Hupirimu
Population
 • Total3,624,195

Etymology

The city was first named Tupakehakane, the capital of the Kingdom of Iano. The city was then raised and rebuilt and renamed Toru Nui. In 1734 it received its royal charter which renamed the city Tauranga a te Toka, an Oan word meaning Port of the Rock. The colloquial name for the city is te Tauranga (or simply the Port in Staynish).

History

The earliest human habitation in the city is traced to the first arrival of humans in the 1300s BCE. The area was primarily inhabited by small settlements of no more than 1,000 people each which were built of stone. The earliest recorded city in that area was Tupakehakane, the capital of the Kingdom of Iano. The city was razed to the ground in 450 CE by the Corsairs of Aotekohiwa upon the destruction of the Kingdom of Iano and the incorporation of its territories into the Aotekohiwa Empire. When the Aotekohiwa Empire collapsed in 670 CE, the naturally deep harbors and strategic position spurred King Uha of the newly established Kingdom of Toka to build a new city in that location called Toru Nui. The city gradually expanded and became the hub of trade, but ships there suffered from pirate attacks. The Kingdom of Tokamotu rebuilt their capital under King Ahere IV in the area that now makes up Tokapa. Under Ahua the Great massive projects were undertaken in the 9th century CE which included the construction of the large structures in Toru Nui.

The city grew in population and size over time, but suffered heavy damage and was depopulated due to an earthquake in 1230 CE, a volcanic eruption from Mount Whakoa in 1460 CE and a tsunami 1627 CE. The damage caused by this was part of the reason, Emperor Tupuni was willing to give up large parts of the Oan Isles to Great Morstaybishlia so that he could rebuild the damaged parts of Tokamotu. The city got its present name in 1734 when the government of the Oan Isles gave it a royal charter and appointed its first Kawana (governor).

The city experienced massive expansion of road works, rail lines and housing under Kawana Iparahimu Putea from 1820 to 1832. The port underwent significant expansion with the quarrying of the Ngahere lagoon in 1848. The city was a major stronghold of Oan forces during the Morsto-Oan War. Following the war, many displaced people from other islands built shanty towns and faced Malthusian pressures. This was part of the reason Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Rangitake became disillusioned with his father Emperor Tamatea and subsequently overthrew him. Under Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Mikaere III, the city grew again and regained its position as a major port and became a major centre of industry with many factories seeking to exploit proximity to the Port of Tauranga a te Toka.

During the Great War, the city served as a major transit point for goods moving to and from the Imperial and Pacific Powers, firmly establishing its position as a major centre of trade. This proved a vulnerability as its strategic location made it attractive to world powers, thus the Oan government had a tread a careful diplomatic line to keep it from being invaded. Nevertheless, it survived and continued to attract manufacturing and heavy industry including during the Auroran Imperial War. The city also served as a major port for movement of troops and materiel and for the mooring of military vessels from Allied nations during the Auroran-Pacific War.

Economy

The city has the largest economic output of any Oan city. It is the largest port in the country due to its deep natural ports and well developed infrastructure. It lies within a close commute of the Toka International Airport, allowing thousands of travellers, business people and goods from overseas and domestically to travel quickly and easily. It also lies in close proximity to Anapa, which allows visitors to JV Marine World Kingdom Waterpark to visit the city. It is also close to Tokapa allowing many students and government officials to visit Tauranga for its vibrant nightlife especially since the Tauranga-Tokapa Maglev Line offers fast commutes.

Nevertheless, its primary industries are transhipment, logistics, retail, petroleum refining, heavy industrial manufacturing of items such as telecommunications equipment and scientific apparatuses, chemicals, and gemstone cutting and polishing. It is attractive to young professionals working in Tokapa, as property prices are cheaper due to most wealthy people preferring to live in Tokapa. This makes the cost of living lower in Tauranga. Nevertheless, by international standards, it remains comparably high. The city received most of its electrical power from the Kokorutaone Nuclear Energy Plant and the Mount Whakoa Geothermal Energy Plant.

Demographics

The city is home to the largest urban population in the Oan Isles: 5,670,200 people and has an average population density of 6,700 people per square mile. The city has the among highest proportions of immigrants in the country and it attracts many middle to low-income workers especially from former Salovian and Ethaln countries and is a major source of remittances to those countries. The city also has a very high proportion of the population which speaks non-Polynesian languages such as Staynish, Axdelian, Salovian and Ethalrian. The city is home to the University of Tauranga a te Toka and a very high proportion of educated and skilled workers. Unfortunately, the city is notorious for the presence of narcotics and alcohol abuse.

Culture

The city is not as well known as Anapa or Tokapa for tourism. Nevertheless, it has an amazing nightlife and shopping with massive malls and clubs found here. The city also has the largest alcoholic beverage festivals, parties and similar events in the country due its highly young and energetic population. However, it is less well-known for its historic sites, many of which are protected and recognized by the state such as the Castle of Toru Nui, the ruins of Tupakehakane and the Lighthouse of Marama. The city is home to O-Pop, a nascent genre of Oan pop music inspired by dubstep, electronic dance music, techno-music, grunge, hip-hop and trap music. The less pristine cityscapes and the presence of large industrial areas has attracted sci-fi, cyberpunk and dystopian fiction movies such as Roughshod, Killer Bee and award-winning film, Titanium Steel. Famous Oan journalist and writer, Imani Lucim, originates from the city along with Tedd Rotorua (known for historic horror novels) and writer Hex (known for teen-age drama and fantasy romance).