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Jenniferann.com, regional development, and realising the aspirations of mana whenua in Pōkeno
Author(s) -
Ryks John,
Kilgour Jonathan,
Whitehead Jesse,
Whetu Amy,
Whetu James
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
new zealand geographer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.335
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1745-7939
pISSN - 0028-8144
DOI - 10.1111/nzg.12235
Subject(s) - aotearoa , geography , meaning (existential) , rural area , investment (military) , sociology , political science , gender studies , law , politics , psychology , psychotherapist
During the 1990s, the township of Pōkeno was held up as an example of a declining rural Aotearoa/New Zealand. By‐passed from the national state highway, it lost its status as a service hub and drastic measures were introduced to revitalise the town, including renaming the town “ Jenniferann.com .” Pōkeno has since undergone an unlikely transformation, with foreign investment and its location within an extended Auckland commuter zone meaning that the township has grown exponentially. This article describes the transformation of Pōkeno and uncovers what has been missing from discussions about Pōkeno's reinvention, namely, the place of mana whenua.