History of Pukerangiora Pā
Introduction
Pukerangiora Pā situated high on a bluff above the Waitara River, was twice besieged in the bloody Musket Wars of the early 1800s.Description
Pukerangiora Pā is situated high on a bluff above the Waitara River, was fought over during three eras of New Zealand warfare. While stories of battle from the pre-European era remain to be told, the name Pukerangiora is legendary.
Please respect this historic site by not eating or toileting in the area. There are no toilets or picnic areas on site. The closest facilities are 8 km away at Everett Park – continue on Waitara Road to join Everett Road. Everett Park is 7 km on the left.
Activities
Pukerangiora Pā historic reserve has no formal walking tracks but short mown paths around the site will take you to a clifftop lookout and down to Pratts sap.
There is currently no interpretation on site so if you want to know more we recommend researching before you go. This way you can gain greater appreciation of this area.
Getting there
Pukerangiora Pā is located around a 25 min drive from New Plymouth.
- Leaving New Plymouth follow SH3 to Waitara Road – around 12.4 km.
- Pukerangiora Pā is 7 km along Waitara Road on the left.
History
A much fought-over pā.
Besieged
The pā was twice besieged in the bloody Musket Wars of the early 1800s. In 1821 a war party of 1600 men returning north was besieged here for seven months by Te Atiawa, who dubbed the siege ‘Raihe Poaka’ (the penned-up pigs).
Ten years later blood flowed here again when a large Waikato war party, armed with guns, invaded Taranaki and trapped an estimated 4,000 Te Atiawa in the same pā. After a 3-month siege some 1,200 Te Atiawa are thought to have been killed as they tried to escape. Many were enslaved or jumped over the cliffs into the river.
Under fire
A generation later in 1861 these old adversaries joined forces in defence of the pa against a common enemy, the British Army. Wary of attacking pā, British troops under Major General TS Pratt instead dug trenches (saps) up the slopes to the Te Arei Pā in front of Pukerangiora. It worked. Pounding the pā with artillery fire, the British tunnelled to within metres of Maori defences and Te Atiawa chief Hapurona was forced to fly the white flag.
Pukerangiora Pā was again the site of battle in the Second Taranaki War in 1864. Following the wars Te Atiawa’s lands were confiscated.
Today
There’s much to see at the old battle site today. You can contemplate the horrors of times past as you stand on the cliff-top with its commanding views of the Waitara River and surrounds. Fortifications from the 1861 battle, including the very clearly defined British sap trench, are still visible.
DOC's work
Protected as a historic reserve since 1908, DOC is currently in discussions with Pukerangiora Hapu of Te Atiawa about its aspirations for the future interpretation and visitor opportunities of the pā.
