Wairau Incident

Tensions over Wairau land and injustices against Ngāti Toa leaders reached their boiling point. Nelson settlement leader Arthur Wakefield seized the land by force, but there would be tragic results. Audio

On the 17th of June, 1843, an armed party of New Zealand Company settlers clashed with Ngati Toa over the purchase of land in the Wairau Valley. The settlers came off worst, losing 22 of their number… Audio, Gallery