In 1916 while New Zealand and Australia focused on a great war, 12 thousand miles away another war ended in the heart of NZ’s North Island. Episode One details the first war between British and Maori and, despite the odds, the British did not win. Their victory came in history books, won by the pen where the sword had failed.
In 1840 the lands as far as the eye could see were part of an empire. The empire was not British, but Maori. It’s “emperor” was the great Ngati Toa chief, Te Rauparaha. He was the greatest empire builder in Maori history, and New Zealand’s most famous poet. Kapiti was easy to attack from, but hard to attack – the same advantage that Britain had in relation to continental Europe.
In July 1863 sixteen Maori missionary entertainers were in England giving sermons and lectures as well as performing haka. On the 15th of July they had an audience with Queen Victoria who recorded, “they all kissed my hand and behaved extremely well.” Three days before on July 12th 1863, the Queen’s soldiers had invaded the Waikato.
On the 6th April 1864 a strong patrol set out from the fort at Kaitake, south of New Plymouth, a company each of Imperial and Colonial infantry under Captain T.J.W. Lloyd of the 57th who had just arrived from England. The patrol’s mission was to burn crops and abandoned villages. Suddenly they were attacked by Maori warriors yelling a new war cry: “Hau, hau, hau!” The surprised troops were routed, Captain Lloyd and six others were killed and 12 were wounded.
The East Coast Wars raged from Taupo to East Cape, Hauraki to Hawkes Bay, over 7 years, from 1865 to 1872, bringing fire and sword to a vast chunk of the North Island. This Seven Year War was a complicated triangle of at least eight intersecting conflicts. The East Coast Wars killed more non-combatants that the rest of the New Zealand Wars combined.