View Te Ara in

Story: Ngāi Tahu

Memorial to the battle of Tuturau

Memorial to the battle of Tuturau

By the mid-1830s, the wars between Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Toa had reached a stalemate. In one last bid to take Ngāi Tahu territory, Te Pūoho (a chief of the Ngāti Tama tribe, allied to Ngāti Toa) made an extraordinary journey in 1836 from north-west Nelson, down the West Coast and over Haast Pass to Southland. There, at Tuturau, he was surprised by Ngāi Tahu and killed. A monument marks the site of this last engagement.

About this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Jock Phillips and Chris Maclean

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page:

Te Maire Tau. 'Ngāi Tahu', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ngai-tahu/7/2