The third epic chapter in RNZ’s award-winning series – NZ WARS: STORIES OF TAINUI – screens on Māori Television on Wednesday 17 March 2021 at 8.30 PM.
Great Southern Television and Aotearoa Media Collective have teamed up with RNZ to create a digital documentary project
that vividly illustrates how the battles looked, sounded and felt.
The 1863 invasion of the Waikato was a defining conflict in New Zealand history, reinforcing the Crown’s power, giving
rise to land confiscations and entrenching one of the country’s oldest political institutions – the Kiingitanga
movement.
The hour-long programme is presented by Mihingaarangi Forbes and features historian Dr Vincent O’Malley alongside
esteemed iwi historians Rahui Papa, Brad Totorewa, Tom Roa, Mamae Takerei and Kawhia Muraahi.
Speaking in the documentary, O’Malley says: “The invasion of Waikato was a predetermined war of conquest, an invasion on
the Crown's part – that's absolutely clear.
”Governor Grey attempted to justify the unjustifiable really through assembling a dodgy dossier of evidence that
supposedly incriminated Tainui but, in fact, did no such thing.”
Forbes says the bicultural retelling of the biggest and most important campaign of the 19th century New Zealand Wars
centres on three key encounters: Rangiriri, Rangiaaowhia and Ooraakau.
“The Waikato wars – or as Waikato historian Mamae Takerei describes it, ‘the war on the people of Waikato’ – changed the
relationship between Pākehā and Māori forever.”
Written and directed by Cameron Bennett, the documentary features heartbreaking stories from the descendants as well as
dramatic re-enactments, interviews, historical records, haka and digital storytelling.
Forbes says audiences have changed over the past two decades.
“My belief is that New Zealanders are generally open to a bicultural narrative of how our nation was formed and will
listen with both their ears and their hearts.
“The storytellers of Tainui have generously entrusted us with their stories in this documentary, many of which have not
been told to a wider audience until today.”
Extended interviews with key talent are also featured on the RNZ website.
NZ WARS: STORIES OF TAINUI screens on Māori Television on Wednesday 17 March 2021 at 8.30 PM.