task 1:
During the time of 1860 to the early 1870’s “were dominated by war as the Crown and settlers resorted to violence in pursuit of establishing, unequivocally, the fact of British sovereignty.” (Anderson, 256). The Maori felt betrayed by the British people, as this was not the treaty they had signed on and for the Maori people to protect their land they went to war against the British government. The Maori tribes calibrated on working together on how to best preserve their lands from confiscationto the European government. (Anderson, 256).
War began during March, 1860 by the Waitara River over the conflict of Taranaki. “The survey overrode the statement of senior Te Āti Awa chief of Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitake Whiti that the Waitara land was not for sale.” (Anderson, 256). Thomas Gore Browne was governor at the time and would take the land off Maori people without permission. When the Maori started fighting back “Browne ordered an attack” (Anderson, 256). George Grey became the new governor in December 1861 and apoached the Maori tribes to make agreements with them. This was an attempt to stop the wars (Anderson, 260). But instead the war began again in 1863 and continued for the next five years. (Anderson, 262).
During the similar years Waitato broke out into war “Kīngitanga leaders had made it very clear that if British troops crossed the Mangatāwhiri River … it would be an act of war” (Anderson, 262-263). Although Grey made it seem he wanted peace between the Maori tribes and the European government but he made it a rule that the maori that lived between Auckland to Waikato would now be under the ruling of the crown, this included many Maori tribes. “Those who took up arms against the soldiers would forfeit ‘the possessions of their lands guaranteed to them by The Treaty of Waitangi.” (Anderson, 264). Many Maori men went to fight on for their land; this increased the deaths from both parties.
War continued to spread into Tauranga, which then started involving the south island Maori people as they come to defend those who were threatened by the British. The Maori peoples “decisions and actions would be based on … calculations of a balance of power between the tribes and the best means to protect the land and its resources.” (Anderson, 271).
“The wars touched almost all tribes in New Zealand to a greater or lesser extent.” (Anderson, 282). The wars ended in 1872.
work cites:
Anderson, Atholl, Binney, Judith and Harris, Aroha. “Chapter 9: Wars and survival”. Tangata whenua: An Illustrated History. Ed. Atholl Anderson Judith Binney, and Aroha Harris. Aotearoa: Bridget Williams Books, 2014. 256-285. Print.
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