Battle of Ohaeawai remembered ahead of Waitangi Day

The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw the loss of life on both sides, particularly the British, and was a watershed moment in Aotearoa’s history.

A memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between Māori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said.

The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw the loss of life on both sides, particularly the British, and was a watershed moment in Aotearoa’s history.

The historical site and other sites including Ruapekapeka Pā, the Rangiriri Trenches, and Parihaka have been restored with support from the Government.

“While New Zealanders may not be as familiar with these sites, the introduction of Aotearoa, New Zealand histories means that whole generations of young kiwis will learn about important sites like Ohaeawai,” Kelvin Davis said.

“Thanks to the work of Ngāti Rangi, they will also be able to visit these sites and learn more about their important whakapapa.”

The event will also celebrate and remember the generosity of British woman Charlotte Dorothea Weale, who supported a Māori party that had become stranded in England in 1863 to return home.

To repay her generosity, the party built a church on the Ohaeawai pā site.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)