A new curriculum about New Zealand history is to be introduced to our schools. May the whole truth be told. Yes the land wars really were terrible, equally sad is the Maori lament, we once were warriors.

What does that mean?

Prior to the advent of missionaries, tribe warred against tribe, carrying off the defeated remnant to be their slaves. Sometimes human flesh was eaten, shrunken heads were prized. A few of these were returned from an overseas museum a short while ago.

Around the world ancient histories abound that could rival New Zealand's. All of us alive here today should indeed be thankful for our country's Treaty of Waitangi.

Margaret Whitwell, Judea