On Wednesday 8th & 9th of March, our Year 13 History students, along with those from St John’s, explored the sites of the Waikato War. On Day One we ventured north to Pukekohe East Old Cemetary where the musket holes in the church reminded us of the initial skirmishes that occurred prior to the British troops crossing the rubicon of Mangatawhiri Stream and thus instigating war. From here we explored redoubts and pā to see the remains of these prominent fortifications and to re-imagine the environment and technological design as well as the fighting which occurred here.
Day Two, we headed south from the site of arguably the most decisive battle of the Waikato War at Rangiriri to the fertile heartland of the Waikato. Here the Paterangi line defended this prosperous region, Rangiaowhia was attacked and Rewi made his last stand at Ōrākau famously declaring ‘E hoa, ka whawhai tonu mātou, Āke! Āke! Āke!’ (Friend, we will fight on forever, forever and forever!). As students of History we still have a lot to learn and share about what happened here in the Waikato.
Many thanks to Mr Sean Cullen-Wright from St John’s College for leading our journey and sharing his knowledge.