Key Takeaways
- The Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā was a significant event in New Zealand’s history, fought between Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine defenders and British troops and Māori allies in 1845-46.
- The battle was the final engagement of the Northern War and had a lasting impact on the country, including the retention of land by Ngāti Hine and their allies.
- The battle’s military innovations, including the use of trenches and palisades, were used for decades afterwards, including in World War I.
- The 180th anniversary commemorations will be held this weekend, featuring a series of events, including pōwhiri, wānanga, and site visits.
- The commemorations will also focus on reconciliation and remembering the sacrifices made by ancestors for future generations.
Introduction to the Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā
The Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā, one of the most famous battles fought on New Zealand soil, is being remembered this weekend with a series of commemorations. Hundreds of people from around the country are expected to attend the events, which will be held at Kawiti Marae at Waiomio and Ruapekapeka Pā. The battle, which took place in 1845-46, was the final engagement of the Northern War and had a significant impact on the country. Te Ruapekapeka Trust chairman Pita Tipene said that the battle’s effects are still felt in Northland today, and the military innovations it spawned were used for decades afterwards, even in the trenches of World War I.
The Origins of the War
The Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā was the last of a series of battles in the Northern War, which raged from March 1845 to January 1846. The war was sparked by anger over broken promises made in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as economic factors. When the Treaty was signed, New Zealand’s capital was at kiato, near Russell, but it was moved to Auckland just a year later, taking all of the British trade with it and greatly diminishing the economic ability of the local people. The fighting began when chiefs Kawiti, Pumuka, and others attacked Kororāreka township, allowing Hone Heke to cut down the flagstaff for the fourth time. The British evacuated to Auckland and called in reinforcements from Sydney, which arrived in late March to April 1845.
The Battle Itself
The Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā was a culmination of the Northern War, with an estimated 400 Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine defenders facing off against a force of about 1600 British troops and Māori allies. The pā, designed by Kawiti, was a complex system of trenches and palisades made from pūriri, lined with bundles of flax to absorb the impact of projectiles. The pā also had a well, vital if the battle turned into a lengthy siege, and an escape route if needed. The British arrived at the pā on December 29, 1845, and began bombarding it with artillery. On the night of January 10, 1846, they opened up with everything they had and created a breach in the front palisade. The next morning, they entered the pā, but by that time, only Kawiti and a small number of defenders remained inside. Fighting ensued until they also withdrew into the bush.
The Lasting Effects of the Battle
The Battle of Ruapekapeka Pā had a lasting impact on New Zealand, including the retention of land by Ngāti Hine and their allies. The battle also influenced the way wars were fought for decades afterwards, with the British surveying the site, making a model of the defences, and applying the innovations in the Crimean War and in the trenches of World War I. In 2008, the New Zealand Institute of Professional Engineers formally recognised Ruapekapeka Pā as a site of national engineering significance. The battle also had a lasting impact on the relationship between Māori and the British, with bitterness between Māori who fought for the British and those who fought under Kawiti. However, this weekend’s commemorations are an opportunity for reconciliation and remembering the sacrifices made by ancestors for future generations.
Commemorations and Reconciliation
This weekend’s commemorations will feature a series of events, including pōwhiri, wānanga, and site visits. The events will be held at Kawiti Marae at Waiomio and Ruapekapeka Pā, and will include the blessing of a new pou ihi, or wayfinder pou, and 12 new tūpuna pou representing combatants in the battle. The commemorations will also focus on reconciliation and remembering the sacrifices made by ancestors for future generations. Tipene said that the commemorations are an opportunity for people to come together and acknowledge the past, and to move forward towards a more reconciled future. He also emphasized the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by ancestors and the need to be purposeful about moving towards the nationhood that was envisaged when Te Tiriti o Waitangi and He Whakaputanga were first signed.
The Theme of This Year’s Commemorations
The theme of this year’s commemorations is Te Mere Whakakopa, a greenstone mere smeared with human excrement that was given to Kawiti by Hone Heke in 1845. The gift symbolised the rangatiratanga, or authority, of Māori, while the excrement was a symbol of how it was being defiled by the British. Tipene said that the theme is still relevant today, with a whole lot of legislation coming out of the current government continuing to contaminate the authority of the Māori people. The commemorations will be a chance to remember the sacrifices made by ancestors and to continue healing old wounds. The events will be held on January 9-11, and will include a mass haka, flag-raising ceremony, and karakia at the pā.