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The History of New Zealand: Maori Power and Colonial Change — Fexingo History

The History of New Zealand: Maori Power and Colonial Change — Fexingo History

Written by: Fexingo
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About this listen

 New Zealand's history is a story of Maori resilience, colonial upheaval, and the forging of a bicultural nation. This podcast, hosted by Lucas and Luna, traces the arc from the first Polynesian voyagers who settled Aotearoa around 1300 CE to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the brutal Land Wars of the 1860s, and the modern Maori renaissance. We explore the intricate iwi (tribal) politics, the musket wars that reshaped power balances, the impact of European missionaries and settlers, and the rise of Kingitanga—the Maori King Movement. Key figures like Hone Heke, Te Rauparaha, and Apirana Ngata come to life, alongside pivotal events such as the Battle of Gate Pa and the Parihaka invasion. We delve into Maori culture—the koru spiral symbolizing new life, the haka as war dance and protest, and the deep connection to whenua (land). The show examines contemporary debates over the Waitangi Tribunal, customary fishing rights, and the place of te reo Maori in national identity. Why does a small Pacific nation's story resonate globally? Because it asks how two worlds can collide, coexist, and create something new—a question as urgent today as ever.

#NewZealandHistory #Maori #TreatyOfWaitangi #LandWars #PolynesianSettlers #Kingitanga #HoneHeke #TeRauparaha #ApiranaNgata #Aotearoa #Parihaka #MusketWars #Bicultural #SouthPacific #FexingoHistory #ColonialHistory #IndigenousRights #History

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-new-zealand-maori-power-and-colonial-change-fexingo-history--6985383/support.© 2026 Fexingo. All rights reserved.
Episodes
  • The Dog Tax War: Maori Resistance in the Far North — Fexingo History

    The Dog Tax War: Maori Resistance in the Far North — Fexingo History
    Apr 26 2026
    In 1898, a small band of Māori in New Zealand's remote Hokianga region took up arms against the Crown. Not over land, but over a tax on dogs. The Dog Tax War — or Te Pakanga o ngā Kurī — was a brief, almost comical conflict that nonetheless exposed deep grievances. Lucas and Luna explore how a seemingly trivial levy became a flashpoint for Maori sovereignty, the role of the prophet Rua Kenana's influence in the north, and the brutal aftermath for the ringleaders. They delve into the politics of the Maori Councils Act 1900, the impact of the Native Land Court, and the story of Hōne Heke Ngāpua, the politician who defused the crisis. A forgotten chapter in New Zealand's colonial history that reveals the quiet desperation of a people pushed to the edge.

    #DogTaxWar #Hokianga #MaoriResistance #RuaKenana #HoneHekeNgapua #TePakangaONgaKuri #NewZealandHistory #ColonialNewZealand #TeTiriti #MaoriCouncils #NativeLandCourt #MaoriSovereignty #1898 #Northland #Kaitaia #FexingoHistory #History #Oceania #Maori #TreatyOfWaitangi

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-new-zealand-maori-power-and-colonial-change-fexingo-history--6985383/support.
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    6 mins
  • Tūhoe and the Crown: The Urewera Blockades — Fexingo History

    Tūhoe and the Crown: The Urewera Blockades — Fexingo History
    Apr 26 2026
    In the dense forests of the Urewera Mountains, the Tūhoe people resisted colonization long after other iwi had been militarily defeated. This episode explores the Crown's campaign to open the 'District of the Urewera' to settlement through the Urewera District Native Reserve Act 1896, and the violent aftermath when Tūhoe refused to yield their ancestral lands. We follow the story of Rua Kēnana, the Māori prophet who established a separatist community at Maungapōhātua, and the armed police raid of 1916 that saw him arrested amid gunfire. We also discuss the 1894 'Urewera Commission' that sought to adjudicate land ownership, the 1916 Crown apology, and the long wait for justice until the 2014 Tūhoe settlement. This is a tale of legal manipulation, spiritual resistance, and the enduring mana of Tūhoe.

    #THoe #Urewera #RuaKNana #MaungapHTua #LandConfiscation #ColonialNewZealand #MOriResistance #CrownApology #NewZealandHistory #WaitangiTribunal #Blockades #ProphetMovements #MOriLand #19thCentury #20thCentury #OceaniaHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Maori #TreatyOfWaitangi

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-new-zealand-maori-power-and-colonial-change-fexingo-history--6985383/support.
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    5 mins
  • Parihaka: The Prophet and the Ploughshares — Fexingo History

    Parihaka: The Prophet and the Ploughshares — Fexingo History
    Apr 25 2026
    In the 1880s, the Māori settlement of Parihaka became a symbol of nonviolent resistance against colonial land confiscations. Led by the prophets Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi, the community employed passive tactics like ploughing confiscated land and removing survey pegs. On November 5, 1881, over 1,500 armed troops invaded Parihaka, arresting leaders and exiling them to the South Island. This episode explores the philosophy of Parihaka, the invasion, and the legacy of its peaceful protest, including the story of Rua Kēnana and the later events at Maungapōhatu. We also touch on the Crown's apology in the 21st century, official acknowledgments of wrongful acts, and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

    #Parihaka #TeWhiti #TohuKakahi #MOriResistance #Nonviolence #LandConfiscation #NewZealandHistory #Colonialism #MaungapHatu #RuaKenana #PloughingProtests #1881Invasion #WaitangiTribunal #Reconciliation #MOriProphets #History #FexingoHistory #Oceania #Maori #TreatyOfWaitangi

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-new-zealand-maori-power-and-colonial-change-fexingo-history--6985383/support.
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    6 mins
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