Matawhero - 10 November 1868

A DigitalNZ Story by Janice

A set of images, reports and accounts of Te Kooti's attack on Matawhero in Poverty Bay on 10 November 1868.

Matawhero, New Zealand Wars, Te Kooti

Image: Matawhero NZ Wars memorial

Matawhero NZ Wars memorial

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

The attack on 10 November 1868

On 10 November, Te Kooti attacked Matawhero and killed about 54 people, including 20 Māori and the resident magistrate, Reginald Biggs, who had originally exiled him to the Chatham Islands.

Source: Danny Keenan, 'New Zealand wars - Pursuit of Te Kooti, 1868–1872', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-wars/page-10 (accessed 27 November 2019)

Matawhero - Te Kooti's war

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Massacre at Poverty Bay, 1868

Massacre at Poverty Bay, 1868

Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Te Kooti's utu

Te Kooti was precise as to who was to be killed: Biggs and Captain James Wilson as ‘Pharaoh’s overseers’, and all those who now occupied Read’s claim or were living on Māori land.

Source: 'Matawhero', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/te-kootis-war/matawhero, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 5-Apr-2019

Image: Captain J. Wilson

Captain J. Wilson

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Chapters from 'Historic Poverty Bay and the East Coast, N.I., N.Z.' by Joseph Angus Mackay about the surprise attack at Mataphero

Victoria University historian looks back on the attack on Matawhero