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War 1
Everything about the wars
The first war was fought mainly around New Plymouth and Waitara. British forces battled against the Maori as an response to an immediate threat or to defend themselves against Maori provocation.A truce was called in March 1861, but we don’t know why. -
War 2
Everything about the wars
The second war began when the Crown reoccupied the Tātaraimaka block west of New Plymouth. An important element in the conflict was the rise of the Pai Mārire faith, founded by Taranaki leader Te Ua Haumēne. A number of battles were fought between government forces and Pai Mārire adherents. The Crown had the upper hand by 1866 when Te Ua was captured. He died soon after. -
The New Zealand Settlement Act 1863 in War 2
Everything about the wars.
Confiscation of the ‘rebels’ (the Maoris) from the Maori land, where the Pakeha would now live. The Maori protested against this later on, with guerilla tactics. -
War 3
Everything about the wars.The third Taranaki war began when southern Taranaki iwi responded with force to the continued Pākehā occupation of their land. They were led by Riwha Tītokowaru, whose guerrilla campaign of lightning raids terrorised the settlers.Despite several humiliating defeats, including at Tītokowaru’s pā Te Ngutu-o-te-manu in 1868, Pākehā forces gained the upper hand after the collapse of Māori support for Tītokowaru. A decade of fighting in Taranaki came to an end in mid-1869.