The Ōrākau Pā site is now in the hands of the tūpuna who fought there, recognizing the past and protecting its history for future generations.
Yesterday, Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passed its third reading in Parliament, vesting the title of the 9.7-hectare battle site into a body representing the descendants of ngā tūpuna, as well as their whānau, hapū, and iwi.
Ōrākau was the site of the last major battle in the Crown’s 1863–64 invasion of Waikato.
Between 31 March and 2 April 1864, around 300 Māori, many of them women and children defended their pā against an attack by 1,400 British troops.
An estimated half of the defenders were killed during the fighting and subsequent retreat, and the land was later confiscated by the Crown.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says the work of Maniapoto, Raukawa, and Waikato in making this return possible is a step forward in the journey between the Crown and iwi.
