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Omaka Wairau Y13 History
 
Photo by Geordie Dann

Wairau Bar and Wairau Affray

Geordie Dann —

Year 13 History went on a camp to explore some of the most significant historical locations in Te Wai Pounamu.

This site is one of the oldest known settlement sites in Aotearoa. Artefacts from 1250 CE have been found here and it may be where Aotearoa's first tangata whenua were born after travelling here from Polynesia.

We also visited the infamous Wairau Affray site at Tuamarina. Down by the 200 year old tītoki tree is the site of New Zealand's was the first significant armed conflict between Māori and British settlers after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. On 17 June 1843, 22 Europeans and four Māori died when an armed party of New Zealand Company settlers clashed with Ngāti Toa over the purchase of land.

Marlborough Museum staff took us to the sites and brought Māori and European weapons (not loaded) from the museum for a re-enactment of the incident. 

Omaka Marae hosted us for the 3 day trip where the students got to delve deeper into their newly found sources from the Kaikoura and Marlborough Museum.