Twentieth-century Ngāti Raukawa history is diverse and complex. The people experienced great change as they wrestled with such momentous events as the First World War and the depression of the 1930s. After the Second World War people left their traditional tribal areas and moved to the cities.
In 1975, Ngāti Raukawa initiated a 25-year tribal development plan entitled ‘Whakatupuranga rua mano – Generation 2000’, which saw the widespread revitalisation of marae and the Māori language, and the establishment of Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa, the tribe’s centre of higher learning in Ōtaki.
Ngāti Raukawa people are involved in a wide range of pursuits including the arts, sciences, business and the reconstruction of Māori knowledge. The latter half of the 20th century saw the rise of the internationally famous operatic bass Īnia Te Wīata and the composer Kīngi Tāhiwi.
Today, Ngāti Raukawa is represented by a large number of marae and a range of institutions, notably Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa, Rangiātea Church and Raukawa Marae itself, all in Ōtaki. Other organisations include the Raukawa Trust Board in Tokoroa, Ōtaki Māori Racing Club and Te Rūnanga o Raukawa (tribal council) in Ōtaki.
The Waikato section of Raukawa settled its historic treaty claims on 2 June 2012. The settlement included financial redress of approximately $63 million and the strengthening of commercial relationships between Raukawa and Mighty River Power.