The Battle of Taumatawiwi - Lake Karapiro
The area on the southern side of Lake Karapiro where the sports facility is today was the scene of a bloody episode of the musket wars. On this site around 1830 the local Ngati-haua led by Chief Te Waharoa with only 300 warriors defeated the Nagti-maru who fielded some 3,000 warriors. Below - the memorial gateway, plaques, and "stinking rocks": Background: Some years previously, the Ngati-maru had fled from the Thames area after Hongi Heke and his Ngapui armed with muskets had captured and sacked their main pa Te Totara. Ngati-maru then settled on Ngati-haua land forming a large pa (Hao-whenua). This pa was sited about 3km up the present Luck-at-Last Road on the left - see map below. The Battle of Taumatawiwi (Literally Taumata: “the brow of a hill”; wiwi: - “the old term for the fear engendered by musket fire”) - at present-day Lake Karapiro: “Stinking Rocks”. The following account is from: “Guide to Historical Sites of Maungatautari and Roto-O-Rangi” Complied