Story: New Zealand Wars

Advertisement for Parihaka exhibition

These striking images were used to advertise an exhibition of art, poetry and songs about Parihaka at Wellington’s City Gallery in 2000–1. The power of the images suggests the rawness of feelings about the event more than a century later. Although the New Zealand Wars are often considered to have ended in 1872, the sacking of the South Taranaki kāinga of Parihaka by colonial troops in November 1881 was a continuation of armed conflict over land. The prophets Te Whiti-o-Rongomai (Taranaki) and Tohu Kākahi (Te Āti Awa and Taranaki) had organised the peaceful ploughing of confiscated land in the area. Government troops broke up the community and imprisoned its leaders.

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City Gallery Wellington
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How to cite this page:

Danny Keenan, 'New Zealand Wars - New Zealand Wars overview', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/36888/advertisement-for-parihaka-exhibition (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Danny Keenan, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 29 Nov 2022