Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions for Teachers

1. Why did the British soldiers attack the Maori pa?

(To cut off the supplies and men helping the Maori king fight the British in the Waikato land wars)

2. How did the Maori warriors inside the pa survive the cannon bombardment?

(By hiding in roofed trenches)

3. Why did Heni stay when all the other women left?

(She was unwilling to leave her brother)

4. Was she wise?

(Probably not, but very brave)

5. How did the British soldiers feel when they first rushed inside the pa?

(Victorious)

6. Why?

(The pa seemed deserted. They thought the Maori were dead or had fled)

7. What happened next?

(They were ambushed by rifle fire from hidden trenches)

8. Some Maori tried to escape out the back as the soldiers where charging in from the front. Why did they return to the pa?

(The pa was surrounded)

9. What did the British soldiers think as the fleeing Maori poured back into the pa?

(That reinforcements were arriving from another pa)

10. The soldiers panicked and fled. Why didn't their officers try to stop them?

(Most of the officers were killed or wounded)

11. Why did the Maori warrior not kill the British soldier with his sword?

(He showed mercy to an unarmed man because of their code of conduct)

12. Why was it so dangerous for Heni to take a drink to the dying soldier?

(Maori warriors normally killed their wounded enemies in revenge for fallen comrades, and stripped the bodies of weapons. The wounded soldiers might try to defend themselves by shooting her)

So why did she do it? (She was kind, compassionate and friendly towards the pakeha) How do you think she felt? (Scared at first, but afterwards relieved and satisfied)