Battle of Ōrākau
Ōrākau, near Kihikihi, Waikato, New Zealand
What happened
Māori defenders from at least nine iwi (tribes), led by Rewi Maniapoto, fought British and colonial forces under Brigadier General George Carey. During the British invasion of the Waikato, Māori defenders built a pā (fortified position) at Ōrākau. British troops surrounded it and shelled it, and the defenders ran short of water and ammunition. When asked to surrender, they refused, and on the third day they broke out; Rewi Maniapoto escaped through a swamp.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a key battle of the invasion of the Waikato. The defenders' refusal to surrender became one of the best-known moments of the New Zealand Wars.
What came next
The Kingitanga (Māori King Movement) withdrew into the interior, which became known as the King Country. The government took large areas of Waikato land, and in 1995 the Crown formally apologised and made a settlement with Waikato-Tainui.
Did you know?
Rewi Maniapoto's reply to the call to surrender is remembered as 'Ka whawhai tonu ahau ki a koe, ake, ake' ('I shall fight you forever, and ever, and ever'), though several versions exist.
Timeline
- 1864The invasion of the Waikato is under way.
- 31 March 1864The siege of Ōrākau begins.
- 2 April 1864The defenders break out of the pā.
- 1995The Crown apologises to Waikato-Tainui.