Dates and venues confirmed for Te Pūtake o te Riri, He Rā Maumahara, first national commemorations of Wars and Conflicts in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This is to advise that the Te Pūtake o te Riri - Wars and Conflicts in New Zealand, He Rā Maumahara, will be held from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 March 2018, at Waitangi and Kororāreka/Russell in Te Tai Tokerau, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Te Tai Tokerau region are honoured to host the inaugural Te Pūtake o te Riri, He Rā Maumahara, a national commemoration of wars and conflicts in New Zealand Four years after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi the fluttering Union Jack on Te Maiki Hill overlooking the township of Kororāreka had become a symbol of frustration and a focus for dissatisfaction by local Ngāpuhi rangatira, especially Hone Heke Pokai. On March 11th 1845, 174 years ago, Hone Heke and his supporters successfully felled the flagstaff flying the British flag. That event and date marks the beginning of the what we now know as the Battle of Kororāreka and the Northern Wars. The Northern Wars were early in this series of wars and conflicts that devastated a number of communities, iwi, hapu and whanau throughout the country.

In attendance will be Ariki and rangatira from around the country as well as key representatives of the Crown and New Zealand government. Together these important representatives will symbolise and demonstrate the leadership requested by over 12,000 petitioners who successfully ran the Hōmai he Ra campaign calling on the government to approve a day of national commemoration to remember and honour those who fought, suffered and fell in these wars and conflicts and to promote the education of all our nations citizens about this important part of our shared history.

In the afternoon on Friday 9th March at Waitangi, there will be a powhiri for ngā iwi o te motu, all people that come to join with us for this commemoration . On Saturday 10th March there will be a day of activities for the public and especially young people, including some site visits to local riri whenua (sites of conflict).

The main commemoration day will be on Sunday 11 March. There will be a procession through Kororāreka/ Russell township and commemoration service outside Christ Church to remember and acknowledge the fallen in Kororāreka Russell and also all those who fought, suffered and died in all of the wars and conflicts of Aotearoa New Zealand.

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