‘BATTLE’ OF ORAKAU

“The battle of Orakau in 1864 ended with a massacre in a swamp. The Maori defenders, out of food, water and ammunition, fled the pa and ran into a hail of British bullets. The survivors escaped into the bush and a nearby swamp, where soldiers killed many of them, including women.”

Well now, as we were told when I was a schoolboy, Rewi Maniapoto, the heroic chief, stood up on the ramparts and declared that they would never surrender, “ake, ake, ake!” In a more recent version it was actually an old woman who stood up and declaimed in this way.

But if the tribe were truly out of food, water and ammunition, would not the wise and indeed honourable thing have been to raise a white flag, lay down their arms and walk out peacefully to surrender? Quite unlike tikanga, the British treatment of surrendered rebels as recorded on many occasions was fair and reasonable.[ix] What was the point in remaining as combatants and running? The cavalry went in pursuit, a standard practice. And why did they run into a swamp? They should have known the area. This does suggest less than adequate reconnaissance! But there was at least one happy ending as one young soldier found that he was pursuing a young woman. He saved her life and duly married her! The O’Malley tale rather lacks a fair perspective!....

https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2021/07/bruce-moon-tall-tales-vs-true-history.html

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COMMENTS ON THE ORAKAU INCIDENT

Orakau was hardly a battle.

In spite of their talk, then and now, the Maoris cut and ran.

I like the story of the young trooper who, pursuing one of those fleeing, discovered that it was a young woman.

As the saying goes, "love kicked him in the face." He married her!.

 ~~ B. M.

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The British deferred the attack asking hero Rewi to let the women out, with safe passage.

Rewi refused. When the combatants fled women were shot as they ran. The troops were shocked to learn some were women.

~~ M. R.

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My understanding is that the women refused to leave. Some mention is made of that in the 'Orakau Jubilee Souvenir Booklet'.

Peter Maxwell, in his book ‘Frontier’, also posits that Cameron deliberately left an escape route to the south to avoid annihilation of the Maori in the pa (see pics below from Maxwell’s book).

~~ C. L.