Heke it seemed viewed the treaty as an agreement between him and the crown over control over “their” Pakeha. He was disappointed and felt his mana was diminished by decisions made by Hobson. The imposition of custom duties including a 30% tax on muskets reduced their trade. Speculators followed Hobson to
By 1844 he felt aggrieved enough to attack the symbols that on a daily basis reminded him of his loss. Attacking these symbols would show the Administration his anger and show his Iwi that he still needed to be respected
Hekes War was not universally supported within Nga Puhi. We have already talked about how the Iwi were split into competing Hapu The Hokianga hapu had always harboured a lingering jealousy over the riches their
Belich makes the point that the Maori combatants on both sides in this war were fighting to retain their Pakeha not to drive them away.
The only battle that was lost by Heke was one which did not even include the British. When Imperial troops were involved they characteristically failed to make any impression. Kawitis description of Despard as a ‘very stupid person’ seems particularly apt. Reliance on the 19th century version of ‘shock and awe’ frontal assaults into prepared positions meant death to troops who were poorly led.
Battles at Puketutu and Ohaewai were effective draws, although a British regiment could never admit as much. They claimed to have inflicted high casualty rates, which the Maori masked by taking their dead and wounded with them. They claimed victories because they occupied Pa sites. Belich notes that these sites were military and economic nullities – empty vessels that had drawn the British into killing fields.
Grey arrived in time for Ruapekapeka, a mixed bag of victories and losses for both sides. Kawiti was unable to spring the trap he had hoped for. Grey had not won a battle nor had he had killed, wounded or captured the ‘rebels’.
The war now drifted to a close.
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