History Conference

This week end Mister Harcourt and I went to a History Conference which was put on by the Stout Centre. It was called "Coming to Terms? Raupatu/Confiscations and New Zealand History". It was a great chance to find out some more about the confiscations that followed the wars and efefct they had on various Maori groups.

I was most interested in Alan Ward and James Belich but found Richard Boast, and Judith Binney interesting. I would have loved to get some of you along but it was a bit expensive. However we picked up some useful resources and some interesting ideas especially from Belichs talk on settlement patterns. One interesting speaker was the opening speech by MP Mahara Okeroa who spoke about different types of raupatu/muru which I made some connection with. Coming from Parihaka he has been unable to read more than a few pages of Dick Scotts books because of the pain they cause.

Reading Ranginui Walkers current book on Whakatohea I have found it hard to move past the section on the occupation and destruction of Whakatohea lands in retaliation for the death of Volkner. It is hard to read this material because there is a physical and emotional connection which can be difficult to distance yourself from.

This morning Chris Ladlaw interviewed several of the keynote speakers and you can hear or download it here. I will try to get a copy onto the Moodle site asap.

Any way gotta go.

Good luck with the research.

Assignment II

It was great to get everyones Milestone completed. This is my chance to ensure everyone gets to the last week with a viable topic, three reasonable focussing questions and some useful sources. It was good to see some of you made the effort to read the marking schedules and/or consulted with me to get the best result.

Good luck.

The Research Assignment

This has now been issued to the class.

If you need another copy you will need to download and print it from the Moodle Site.

You will need to access the His335 Course

The Topic the 3 Focussing Questions 5 Sources and Timeplan are due NEXT thursday.

Cheers

The Wars Essay Plan

The Essay May 2008

Decisions	Situations
Q 12 A Maori Movement chose to express their dissatisfaction at breaches of the Treaty Q 13 .. to appoint Te Whereowhero as the first Maori King.	Q 9 Maori alienation from their land and its contribution to conflict Q 11 Maori sovereignty and its contribution to conflict

All four of these questions have some similarities they can all be answered by referring to Kingitanga and the land issue. The same basic information, with some fiddling will answer all 4 questions….

Decisions ask WHY the decision was made and the CONSEQUENCES of that decision.

Situations ask you to DESCRIBE the situation and how it CHANGED over time.

PLAN:for Q 12

1. A Maori Movement means the Kingitanga
2. Breaches of the treaty Articles 2 and 3
• Guaranteed lands…
• Rights as British Citizens
3. The Reasons for deciding to establish the Kingitanga
• Loss of land
• Loss of mana
4. Some actions that resulted:
• Unification of 2/3 of North Ilsand Tribes
• Challenge to Britain
• Governors Power
• Settler Government
• Loss of Cash-flow
• Support for Kingi at Waitara
5. Consequences of the Decision
• Gore-Browne and Teira and Kingi – who has the right to sell?
• Taranaki Campaign – Gold and Pratt – “Maori intimidation, Pakeha Frustration”
• Arrival of Grey and Cameron – preparation for War
• Invasion of the Waikato – Meremere to Orakau
• Confiscation of land

Possible Intro

In the 1850’s a movement emerged amongst Maori to help preserve their land and culture while also protesting against breaches in the Treaty. The second article guaranteed Maori ‘undisturbed possession’ of their land while the third assured them their rights as British subjects. In the 1850’s Maori chose to present a united front to the Governor and Settler Governments by establishing the Kingitanga under Potatau. This challenge to British Authority would inevitably lead to conflict in the Taranaki and the Waikato and despite Maori resistance the eventual confiscation of 3m acres of land.

Remember to avoid the NARRATIVE TRAP. While some detail is required don’t get carried away with telling me WHAT happened I’m more interested in WHY it happened and its CONSEQUENCES.

Paragraph 1

In the 1850’s settler pressure created an ever increasing demand for land. This land could only be obtained from Maori. Donald McLean the Governments Land Purchase Officer was required to fulfil this demand and exploited Maori disunity in order to find the land required.

Might mention some of the purchases especially the Heretaunga Block in the Hawke Bay

Paragraph 2

Land vacated or conquered during the Musket Wars was the most easily obtained. Disenfranchised Iwi chose to sell land they had fled, while land newly occupied land might be sold to further the insult of defeat.

Mention areas like Waitara and the Te Atiawa as an example.

Paragraph 3

As more and more land was lost, Maori began to become concerned at the loss of Mana and birthright that disappeared with the land. In response Maori who had travelled overseas saw the need for a unified political and economic Maori entity. Using the Queen as their example they believed this entity could be a Maori King. The Kingitanga movement was an attempt to right perceived breaches in the Treaty of Waitangi that concerned them.

Mention the people involved in the early part Tewhiwhi and Te Rauapraha

Paragraph 4 and 5

Article two guaranteed Maori undisturbed possession of their lands but many felt they were being placed under to much pressure to sell land to the Government. They also realised their weakness lay in the conflicting views held by different Iwi over the ownership or rights each had to particular pieces of land. A unified front presented by a King would stop this weakness form being exploited.

Article three also gave Maori the rights of British citizens. Many felt their right to control their land was being ignored by a settler Government more intent on satisfying Settler demands than in protecting Maori. When the 1852 Constitution was established and a Settler Government created it had excluded Maori from representation. A King would potentially give them a voice in Government.

Fieldtrip and Other News

As I told todays class Mr. Harcourt has agreed to help me organise a fieldtrip to the Taranaki. At the moment everything is up in the air as we have only agreed on a rough itinerary and have a number of things still to sort out.

It will inlvolve a bus/van to Wanganui, a days trip around the coast to New Plymouth and then a drive back to Wellington. Cost may be around the $200 mark for transposrtation and accomodation and costs to visit a couple of places...

Anyway try this link:

http://www.pukeariki.com/en/resources/TeachersCentre/voicesandimages.htm

The eyes have it: Volkner Te Kooti & Titokowaru

(The post is new 2008) The East Coast Wars are quite honestly a period which I struggle with. It is a particularly complex and difficult time. On the one hand the Government wrought havoc upon the Whakatohea for their 'rebellion', and Te Kooti was being pursued through the Urewera bush, the assistance of the Tuhoe being his one support. For this help to the 'Rebel' they would suffer fearfully at the death. Meanwhile Titokowaru laid waste to the Southern Taranaki. All of this was more or less happening at the same time.

This starts in Taranaki. Te Ua Haumene began a Religion which he called Pai Marire, which means "Good and Peaceful'. It established itself as an alternative to other mainstream(European) religions and quickly found converts especially in the southern Taranaki. (see the 'Maori Prophets' Handout). While he had one view many of his followers saw it as something different. They especially drew strength from his belief that the Europeans wouldone day be driven from New Zealand.

Belich makes the point that in many ways the Kupapa who fought in these wars did so as representatives of the old order fighting against Hauhau who represented a newer pan-tribal unification under Pai Marire.

(Much of this material is drawn from Ranginui Walkers 'Opotiki Mai Tawhiti' a History of Whakatohea). Ishould also note here that I am Whakatohea and have my own perspective on this chapter in our history

The Pai Maririe leader Te Ua sent some envoys to the East Coast who passed through the Bay of Plenty. At Opotiki they spent some time amongst the Whakatohea. Unfortunately the Iwi had lost many of its best and wisest leaders in the Musket Wars and had not yet recovered. Kereopa, one of the envoys appears to have foregone the 'good and peaceful' message of Te Ua and become incensed by a local Missionary Carl Volkner. Volkner had foolishly become involved in reporting Maori activities to the Government. He had been warned but ignored advice and returned to Opotiki. Without wiser counsel from Whakatohea leaders Kereopa had Volkner imprisoned, and later he was hung outside his church. Kereopa invoked ancient rites and ate his eyes... Perhaps stronger leadership might have stopped the Pai Marire leaders rampage.



Kereopa then left for the East Coast, taking Volkners head with him, where he helped provoke a (religious) civil war amongst the Ngati Porou, causing enormous damage and numerous casualties. Much of this war has slipped under the radar of modern historians, mainly because there were few Pakeha who observed the fighting or recorded its course.



Kereopa was eventually tracked down and brought to justice (hung)but not before the full weight of the Governments Utu had desended upon the Whakatohea, stripping them of much of their land and the execution of several chiefs who were present at, but not responsible for Volkners death. Kupapa from Whanganui led by Major Keepa (Kemp) played a major part in this.

Titokowaru and Te Kooti were involved in fighting on different sides of the island. Both were fighting because of a sense of injustice. For Te Kooti this was more personal as he had been falsely accussed of being a Hau Hau and exiled to the Chathams where fever nearly killed him. Visions while he was sick saw him become a religious leader. He eventually he led 300 supporters back to the mainland. When the officials in Gisborne refused to allow him amnesty he turned and sought revenge at Matawhero where 50 people, Maori and Pakeha were killed. Many of those who died were those Te Kooti held reponsible for his original conviction.



A pursuit by Militia and Kupapa trapped te Kooti at Nga Tapa where the wily old leader escaped by climbing down the cliff with his supporters. A chase caught many, most of whom were prisoners from Matawhero. Despite this incensed Kupapa took their utu by executing many of them.



Te Kooti then led the Government militia (including my Great Grandfather) and their Kupapa allies led by Whitmore on a wild chase around the Urewera Mountains which lasted severl years. Te Kooti sought refuge with the King but was initially rejected, another attempt several years later was more warmly received and te Kooti ceasde his campaign and retired into the Rohe of the King. Tuhoe who had assisted Te Kooti in his campaigns, were less lucky. As a final act of utu, the Militia destroyed every Kainga and garden surronding Waikaremoana resulting in widespread famine amongst Tuhoe that year.



Tikowaru was a Methodist convert who had fought in Taranaki (losing an eye) but later supported peace. He campaigned for a "year of the Lamb'.While much of Taranaki had been confiscated this was a 'paper' confiscation. The Government could claim land was confiscated but simply could not survey and sell all of it immediately. Consequently Maori found it hard to see the confiscation as being real. His ideal of the 'year of the lamb' however was forgotten as 'creeping confiscation' saw more and more land lost to settlers. Titokowarus campaign included older elements of worship including ritualised cannibalism, (and the taking of a head) creating panic amongst settlers especially when he defeated several larger Militia forces. The campaign was vicious and short lived. it ended with Titokowaru's apparent loss of Mana and withdrawal into the interior.


While this was an end to the Wars, Maori would now face attack from a more insidious and perilous enemy, the Court of Law.

Inviting Disaster: The Gate Pa

In Tauranga, the local Ngatirangi tribe led by Rawiri Puhirake had been supporters of the Waikato tribes fighting the British. Cameron had sent a small force to camp Te Papa to control the tribe. The Ngatirangi gathered in the Te Papa area to fight the British. They built a pa close to the camp, when this provoked little response, they built one even closer and sent this message:

To the Colonel,Friend, -Salutations to you. The end of that. Friend, do you give heed to our laws for regulating the fight.Rule 1. If wounded or captured whole, and butt of the musket or hilt of the sword be turned to me, he will be saved.Rule 2. If any Pakeha, being a soldier by name, shall be travelling unarmed and meets me, he will be captured, and handed over to the direction of the law.Rule 3. The soldier who flees, being carried away by his fears, and goes to the house of the priest with his gun (even though carrying arms) will be saved. I will not go there.Rule 4. The unarmed Pakehas, women and children, will be spared.The end. These are binding laws for Tauranga.

This was just what Cameron wanted. He quickly abandoned the Waiakto and travelled to Taurange with a large force. In all there were over 1700 Imperial and local Militia concentrated at Te Papa. They brought with them some of the heaviest artillery yet …

Belich wrote:''The concentration of British artillery was of considerable power even in absolute terms. When it is considered that these guns fired unhampered by enemy artillery from a distance of 350 to 800 yards [320 to 730 meters] at a target of less that 3,000 square yards [2,500 square meters], their power appears awesome. Gate Pa was the ultimate test of strength between British and Maori military technologies, between modern artillery and the modern pa. In a wider sense, it was to be the first of many contests between breech-loading, rifled, composite-cast heavy artillery and trench-and-bunker earthworks."

Once again Cameron faced a Modern Pa, but this one was differerent to other fortifications. The pa was shelled from 9am until almost 4pm. When a breach had been made in the outer fence a force of 300 was sent into the pa. Confusion followed and the force was driven back.British casualties were more than a third of the assault force with 100 men killed or wounded. Ten officers were killed while 28 non-commissioned officers and privates were killed and 73 wounded. The 43rd Regiment lost 20 killed (including its colonel, Colonel Booth, 4 captains and a lieutenant) and 12 wounded. The 68th Regiment lost 4 killed and 16 wounded. The Naval Brigade lost 13 killed (including virtually all of its officers) and 26 wounded. Total Maori losses were estimated at 25.In the confusion and rain that followed the Maori garrison faded into the bush.

(New 2008: The blame game immediately followed. The Settlers and Government expecting a great victory charged the soldiers anf the dead officers with cowardice. Cameron was also seen as a scapegoat, no-one it seemed was prepared to give the Maori their due. The Pa was by most measures a wondeful piece of construction. It withstood a massive bombardment and the defences seem to have forseen the style of attack with defences turned inward which mean there were no defenders to attack - they were all safely ensconced within their bunkers. having made their point the Ngaiterangi abandoned the Pa as was the custom.)

Two months later a force of 1700 troops routed a 500 of Maori caugt in the middle of building a pa at Te Ranga. This defeat seemed to pacify the Ngatiterangi who surrendered their weapons at Te Papa a month later.

Much of this information came from: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Sxmitch/Battle.html

The Orakau Pa

Orakau was an unfortunate accident for the Kingites. Newly arrived Ataua unhappy at missing out on previous battles chose to build a pa in a poorly positioned site.

It was easily surrounded, had no esacpe route, and was incomplete. to make matters worse it had little food and no water.

To compound matters they were surprised and had no chance to send their women away.

That Cameron killed 80 odd Maori was some consolation but the escape of Rewi Maniapoto was a dissappointment.