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Pioneer Battalion flag

This First World War New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion flag is attributed to Captain Pirimi Tahiwi.

In the centre of the flag is a red crown pierced by a taiaha (spear) and tewhatewha (long-handled axe-shaped club). The wording around the crown reads: 'TE HOKO WHITU A TU N-Z-N-C', with New Zealand Maori Contingent and N.Z. Pioneers all in red.

The motto 'Te Hokowhitu a Tu' means 'the 70 twice-told warriors of the War God'.

  • See also: biography of Pirimi Tahiwi at DNZB website

This image Appears In 2 Articles:

  • Henare Te Wainohu
    Māori units of the NZEF
  • Armstrong 9-pounder gun
    Objects of war

Keywords

WW1
pioneer battalion
flags
war objects
maori in war
Credit

National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 1984.1628
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.

How to cite this page

'Pioneer Battalion flag', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/pioneers-flag, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 14-Mar-2016

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Community contributions

2 comments have been posted about Pioneer Battalion flag

What do you know?

admin

Posted: 18 May 2009

Thanks for this, Jock - we've updated the caption now. Kia ora Jamie Mackay Senior Web Editor www.nzhistory.net.nz

Jock Grant

Posted: 18 May 2009

The two weapons on the Flag (crest) of the WW1 Maori Battalion are a Taiaha (the pointed one ) and a Tewhatewha (looks a bit like an axe.) The terms spear and club are misnomers.