Skip to main content

Story: Musket wars

Rangituke

Image
Rangituke

This is Ngāpuhi rangatira Rangituke (centre) with his wife and son. Painted in 1827, the image illustrates the changes in weaponry at the time. Rangituke holds a taiaha (fighting staff) in his right hand while his son holds a long-barreled musket.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: G-634

by Augustus Earle

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Basil Keane, Musket wars – Waikato, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/38087/rangituke (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Basil Keane, published 23 May 2012.