Show Notes
The NZ Wars series goes back to the first shots fired... to Wairau in June 1843. This series was first released in February 2023. The violence erupted one summer's morning in 1843 on the Wairau Plains, at the top of the South Island. A posse of 49 or more settlers sent to arrest renowned rangatira Te Rauparaha and his nephew Te Rangihaeata had tracked them down to the Tuamarino Stream, about 60kms south-east of Nelson. It was a stand-off. But before long tempers flared, and amidst threats, refusals and bible verses being read aloud, Nelson's magistrate Henry Thompson made a rash choice. The day would end with 22 settlers and four Māori killed; what some call the first conflict of the New Zealand Wars. But the road to conflict started years earlier. Hosts Justine Murray and William Ray take you deep into that story. NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau introduces you to Te Rauparaha, Te Rongo and Te Rangihaeata, Arthur Wakefield and John Blenkinsopp. The two-part podcast tells the story of a dodgy land deal, the earliest New Zealand settlement schemes, Ngāti Toa's crucial migration south, the creation of the world's most famous haka and much more. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
More from NZ Wars Collection
Inside the story of Waerenga-a-Hika - a forgotten war, generations of trauma, and a history finally being told. The six-day battle changed Gisborne forever, but many New Zealanders are only now learning its story - and the cost of forgetting Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In 1865, government forces planned an expedition against the Pai Mārire community at Waerenga-a-Hika pā, near Gisborne. The pā had become a refuge for several hundred people who made up over half the Tūranga Māori population, fleeing the East Coast Wars. Government agent Donald McLean assembled a mixed force of Ngāti Porou volunteers and European troops, including Military Settlers and the East Cape expeditionary force. McLean issued an ultimatum and when his demands weren’t met, the forces launched an attack, surrounding the pā and beginning a six-day siege. You can watch the video documentary series at rnz.co.nz/video Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The sixth chapter explores the siege and its devastating consequences for the people of Te Tai Rawhiti, illuminating a significant event in Aotearoa's history. Watch the video documentary version of this series here: rnz.co.nz/video Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
On the eve the battle, British troops have ringfenced Gate Pa. Māori are out-numbered 7:1. Can they survive the biggest artillery bombardment ever on New Zealand soil and face down the might of empire? It's a clash between the world's most powerful artillery and revolutionary pa design, and one that spills over into more violence at Te Ranga. Host Justine Murray continues her journey into her whānau's past and the competing truths of Aotearoa's history. This episode was first released on 29 April 2024. Watch the video documentary here On the eve the battle, British troops have ringfenced Gate Pa. Māori are out-numbered 7:1. Can they survive the biggest artillery bombardment ever on New Zealand soil and face down the might of empire? It's a clash between the world's most powerful artillery and revolutionary pa design. Plus, what happens next at the oft-forgotten Battle of Te Ranga? Host Justine Murray continues her journey into her whānau's past and the competing truths of Aotearoa's history. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Paraone Koikoi was at the Battle of Gate Pa in 1864, when Tauranga Moana iwi bested the British army in one of the most humiliating defeats in its history. Now, 160 years later, his great-great-great grand-daughter combines her personal story with rigorous history to tell the story of a blockade, bombardment and a famous battle. In episode one, 600 British troops land in Tauranga, Māori return from Waikato to defend their land, radical new pa are built, and a code of conduct for war in drafted. This episode was first released on 29 April 2024. Watch the video documentary here. Paraone Koikoi was at the Battle of Gate Pa in 1864, when Tauranga Moana iwi bested the British army in one of the most humiliating defeats in its history. Now, 160 years later, his great-great-great grand-daughter combines her personal story with rigorous history to tell the story of a blockade, bombardment and a famous battle. In episode one, 600 British troops land in Tauranga, Māori return from Waikato to defend their land, radical new pa are built, and a code of conduct for war in drafted. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details