The first national commemoration of the New Zealand Wars began on Friday with a mass haka at Te Tii Marae at Waitangi. It was the start of three days of 'Te Pūtake o Te Riri' - the reason for the anger. Local iwi remembered some of the earliest battles against the British at Ōhaeawai in 1845 and at Ruapekapeka the following year. Ruapekapeka is where Māori developed trench warfare. To learn more about Ruapekapeka watch our full documentary | NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka Made with funding

The New Zealand Wars finally get the recognition they deserve. Gareth Hughes called for this a year ago, it’s great to see a result. Until today, Parliament's debating chamber featured 33 memorial plaques and wreaths on its walls commemorating famous battles or wars NZ'rs have died in, but the New Zealand Wars weren’t included. ☮️ | Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand