Events In History
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21 November 1863Māori surrender at RangiririMore British soldiers were killed at 'Bloody Rangiriri' than in any other battle of the New Zealand Wars. But their victory opened the Waikato basin to the imperial forces. Read more...
Articles
War in Waikato
After fighting broke out again in Taranaki in early 1863, Governor George Grey turned his attention to the region he saw as the root of his problems with Māori: Waikato. This was the heartland of the anti-landselling King Movement (Kīngitanga). Grey vowed to ‘dig around’ the Kīngitanga until it fell.
- Page 4 - RangiririThe decisive battle for Waikato was fought at Rangiriri in November
Locality 4 km south of Te Kauwhata. One of the fiercest battles of the Waikato war was fought at Rangiriri on 20 November 1863. The pā built there by Māori to block the British advance was exceptionally strong, and attacking British forces lost many men. Māori defenders, who also suffered heavy losses, surrendered by mistake the following day, under the false impression that a white flag flying from a gunboat meant that the British wanted to negotiate. Part of the pā is now a historic reserve. Some of the British dead are buried in a nearby cemetery.
