The Tomahawk

After long preparations, the invasion of the Waikato began on 12 July 1863 when British troops crossed the Mangatawhiri River just North of Mercer. The river marked part of the boundary line (aukati) between the Auckland district and the southern area under the protection (mana) of the second Maori King - Tawhiao. Thus the crossing was a declaration of war. The pa today Some 15,000 British troops on one side were pitted against perhaps at most 3,000 Maori. However the British attacking force was closer to 2,000 - it took the other 13,000 to hold the north and the armies supply lines. At Meremere the Maori had constructed a gunfighter pa on the top of the hill, over looking the Waikato River. In addition to assembling a land army, Governor Grey had acquired two steel-plated river gun-boats well-armed with heavy artillery: the Pioneer and the Avon. These vessels were supported by a fleet of smaller barges, boats and canoes (waka). By 14 August under the command of Lieutenant-Gen

Rangiriri - literally rangi: sky; riri: angry. However, A W Reed says: “This is one of the many cases where literal translation can be misleading. Rangiriri was the home of one of the chiefs of the Takitimu canoe, on the Society Islands, and also a part of the ocean believed to be the place where fish originated. It is almost certain that the name was imported from Hawaiki”. A memorial pole/pou on the site of the battlefield Located right beside S.H.1 - 15km south of Meremere and 15km north of Huntly. The redoubt (signposted) is beside S.H.1 on the north side of Rangiriri village. There is a parking area beside the site. The Rangiriri turn-off looms rapidly on the motorway, and I, like many others, have previously driven past at speed - totally unaware of the existence of this significant site. Below: the battlefield site from the motorway (heading South), looking towards the Pa site on the hill-top in the direction the British attacked:  Uphill from the small villa

The "The Maori War and Early Settlers Cemetery” is located in the tiny village of Rangiriri (Waikato) opposite the museum, cafe and pub; right beside S.H. 1. Fallen from both sides in the Battle of Rangiriri (20-21 November 1863) were buried here: 41 British troops and some 47 Maori fallen. Many of the graves of the troops are marked with memorials or concrete slabs. I understand that the Maori have been reinterred elsewhere. When I visited, in June 2018, the tap outside the cemetery was not working and there were no water bottles for the Maori custom for removing the tapu. Beside the Rangiriri Museum (across the road) is this headstone: This has been replaced with this granite memorial: The sign at the entranceway: The Heritage Trails sign reads:  THE CEMETERY  “In 1865 an Anglican Maori church stood on this site. The Clerics were Maori guided by the Rev Maunsell from the Mission at Waikato Head

There is a great deal to be seen at Rangiriri by the history buff: the remains of the battle site, the cemetery, Te Wheoro’s Redoubt (see preceeding blog entry), and the small but fascinating Rangiriri Museum - situated behind the cafe. Museum interior   Parked outside the museum Here is a jumbled treasure-trove of artifacts, paintings, drawings, maps, posters, scale models and various other paraphernalia associated with the battle of Rangiriri (20-21 November 1863) as well as to the wider conflict in the Waikato.     General Cameron- commander of the colonial forces Tawhiao - the Second Maori King A painting of the battle Diorama of the battle Sketch of the battle See a video of my visit; https://youtu.be/LmwcIJ6JQtY I understand that there is also a historical video onsite, which can be viewed upon arrangement - unfortunately when I visited in mid-winter there was no-one in attendance, while the folks at the cafe