Pou raising commemorates bush war

The Pou at Pyes Pa commemorates the Tauranga Bush Campaign - Te Weranga ki Taumata. Photos: Colin Lunt.

Today marks the 150 Year commemorations of Te Weranga ki Taumata - The Bush Campaign - which is being marked with the raising of a pou at Pyes Pa.

Ngai Tamarawaho spokesman Peri Kohu says raising the pou is one of three functions being held to commemorate the bush war.

Damian Kohu is responsible for carving the pou.

The pou stands 5m high.

While it is little known about now, the bush war is hugely significant for local Maori.

'To us it is a big deal, it's hugely significant for us,” says Pere.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Mayor Garry Webber.

Known by historians as the Tauranga Bush Campaign, it was a small-scale conflict resulting from the surveying of land that was confiscated from Tauranga Maori after the Battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga in 1864.

Some Maori responded to the surveying by interfering with the process, and with threatening the surveyors.

The government responded in 1867 by sending in troops to burn villages and destroy crops.

The Waitangi Tribunal regards the response as unjustifiable.

‘The actions of Crown forces in burning villages and destroying cultivations were excessive in relation to the declared aim of the campaign, which was to apprehend individuals who had interfered with surveys and threatened surveyors working on the confiscated blocks'

Historians say that prior to the bush war, Maori had successfully created a thriving economy in Tauranga, attaining economic benefits from their involvement in the colonial economy.

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14 comments

Don't care

Posted on 04-02-2017 18:58 | By Captain Sensible

Sorry, but I just don't care. NZ....rewriting our history since the 1970's.


We know you don't care,

Posted on 05-02-2017 08:52 | By R. Bell

"captain" just another victim of self denial and suppressed history. Sad really. Robin Bell.


@R. Bell

Posted on 05-02-2017 09:59 | By Captain Sensible

The fact is R. Bell, that disillusioned researchers have blown the whistle on the rewriting of NZ's history. They have exposed the fraud of the Waitangi Tribunal who only pay the researchers if they come up with the results the Tribunal want. Researchers with integrity will follow the facts and the evidence....but not get paid, but "researchers" who want to be paid will come up with whatever their employer wants them to come up with. Anybody with a brain will tell you that is not the way to write history. Kiwis are denied the right to know the real history. Take the Waipua forest stone wall....evidence showing maori were not here first, but research on it is banned until 2063!! Why?!


In your world of hidden identity cap'n,

Posted on 05-02-2017 10:37 | By R. Bell

you say much but provide nothing. Don't be shy, name the whistle blowers cap'n. Also take the time to tell us how a stone wall, possibly erected by early Maori can PROVE ANYTHING. I live in hope that your source of knowledge is not the one n.z foundation, after Titford their credibility is zilch. Robin Bell.


@R. Bell

Posted on 05-02-2017 10:57 | By Captain Sensible

If there is a likely chance the stone wall was erected by maori, why not allow research?? Duh! There is a ton of evidence that it was made by europeans and pre dates maori arrival. That's why!! As for the whistle blowers, I have named them before several times. Maybe you should read my comments before the obligatory poopooing of them. Read the independent facts and research ( that excludes the flawed false Waitangi Tribunals paid-for-"facts"). Not enough room in this post to repeat again.


Yet again cap'n, long on wind, short on substance.

Posted on 05-02-2017 11:21 | By R. Bell

You well know there is no EVIDENCE, simply conjecture and wishful thinking. Conspiracy theories abound in your world. Name the whistle blowers, its easy. The Waitangi Tribunal is made up of a cross section of society yet you denigrate them, why? Self denial is very easy to cure,just stop reading conspiracy rubbish. Robin Bell.


@R. Bell

Posted on 05-02-2017 15:25 | By Captain Sensible

Your MO is deny deny deny and not read proof to the contrary. You try to wear your opponents down by answering the same questions over and over. So, are you denying that credible whistleblowers have exposed the great Waitangi Tribunal con? Tell me why the maori are so afraid of having research done on a stone wall, that evidence suggests was done before maori arrived in NZ, that they have successfully lobbied the government into a 75 year research ban that runs in 2063? Why, just why? Maori never built stone walls like that so it's obvious that they are terrified of the great con being exposed. Surely Kiwis have a right to know the true history of this country, and if it differs from the preferred maori version, then deal with it!


@Captain not so Sensible

Posted on 05-02-2017 16:04 | By Colleen Spiro

R Bell asks the question over and over, because you don't give an answer.....why is it with these comments anyone who wants to throw stones uses a fake name, whilst anyone challenging, uses their real name.....


Sad

Posted on 05-02-2017 23:28 | By Murray.Guy

Villages burnt to the ground, crops destroyed, lands confiscated penalising the innocent and the generations that follow, and we've a couple more focused on point scoring, diverting attention from the reality of this travesty.


The captain

Posted on 06-02-2017 07:54 | By Number eight

'sorry, but i just don't care'......and then proceeds to write comments after comments.If you don't care write nothing,zero,and if you reply to this you will not get a reply from me because i really DON'T care


My M.O. is deny, deny deny.

Posted on 06-02-2017 08:50 | By R. Bell

New Zealanders have an absolute right to know our true history. All of it. To that end I read as much as possible. Your claim that Maori are afraid of research on the WALL is patently untrue and stems from writings of Martin Doutre who claims the moratorium requested by Te Roroa to protect sensitive burial sites extends to the whole area. Go to his website you will find he now distances himself from his former claims. You cannot carbon date stones. Nor can you bulldoze sacred sites on the off chance you may find something to prove a wild theory. Robin Bell.


@ Colleen Spiro

Posted on 06-02-2017 08:52 | By Captain Sensible

I have answered the same questions for years. That is part of his MO. Ask the same questions and then ignore the answers. Maybe you can tell me why maori have lobbied the govt to ban research into the Waipua Forest stone wall ...you know....the wall that predates maori and is certain to prove people were in NZ before maori. The research ban runs to 2063. ANy ideas why?


Murray Guy,

Posted on 07-02-2017 08:08 | By R. Bell

I would respectfully inform you that this is not about "point scoring" at least not on my part. My opponent in this case makes outrageous claims based on conspiracy theories with racist overtones. You may see nothing sinister in that, I do. As long as Sunlive permits it, I will counter it. Robin Bell.


Reputable rewrite more accurate history not false history

Posted on 24-02-2017 10:50 | By Peter Dey

Captain Sensible claims that historians are writing false history because they show that he is wrong. For example in 2011 Janet Wilmshurst published internationally accepted radiocarbon data that showed that Maori were the first settlers in New Zealand and that there was no evidence of any settlers in New Zealand before Maori arrived. All reputable historians now accept this as fact. Captain Sensible has not produced any evidence to show that Janet Wilmshurst is wrong but for five years he has refused to accept her evidence. Reputable historians continue to update our historical knowledge, such as telling us an accurate story of the bush war. Rewritten history is more accurate not false.


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