The Sunday Series: The Tauranga Land Wars

Much of the land of modern Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty was acquired by confiscation and dispossession. In April and June of each year the wider community is now acknowledging the primary points of conflict – Pukehina-Gate Pa and Te Ranga.

Local historian and advocate Buddy Mikaere tells the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fWb72Hnuow

I went to the 150th commemorations of these battles. Pukehinahina-Gate Pa was an historic spectacle. The ground shook. At Te Ranga later in that year, I watched as children re-enacted the reality of the massacre.

This is a lengthy and detailed lecture by Kaumatua Des Tata. It provides an excellent overview and context to the land acquisition history of this region.

I was privileged to be part of a historical sites visit led by Kaumatua Peri Kohu as a component of my 2019 te reo Maori langugage course. I’ve said it several times before, for me, these visits and the insight into the history of the region I have come to live were as important as the language learning.

This episode from Waka Huia land war series is in te reo Maori.

The battles of Pukehinahina-Gate Pa and Te Ranga were followed by the Bush Campaign – the burnings -Te Werenga. A scorched earth policy of the destruction of villages and food crops.

This link is to the 1990 report by Evelyn Stokes for the Waitangi Tribunal. https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_93496677/Wai%20215%2C%20A002.pdf

ARTbop has archived articles on the commemorations of the battles and Te Werenga.