Waharoa and pou unveiled at Matakitaki
In May 1822, Matakitaki Pa witnessed an invasion by Northland iwi under the Nga Puhi chief Hongi Hika.
The pa, a place of refuge, was overwhelmed by Hongi Hika and his musket-bearing warriors as they laid siege to the fortified settlement.
A reported 1500 people died in the battle and while escaping from the crowded pa.
The carvings are the work of Maori artist James Webster and his team of carvers, developed in collaboration between Pūrekireki Marae, Te Rūnanganui o Ngati Hikairo and Waipa District Council.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/waharoa-and-pou-unveiled-at-matakitaki/7EISH7VCATKZKHGRU6DJ5UYJNM/