On 12 July 1863 Lieutenant-General Cameron’s forces crossed the Mangatāwhiri Stream to invade Waikato River and the Raupatu began.

The 10-month bloody campaign, involving more than 12,000 British and Colonial troops pitted against Māori forces unlikely to have numbered more than 2000 at any one time.

But the consequences for Waikato Māori, deprived of their land and economic base, has lasted for generations.

“The pain is still there. The hurt is still real,” says Tom Roa, Chair of Te Arataura, the Waikato-Tainui executive.

Tom is the convenor of Ngā Pae o Maumahara, a collaboration of events and activities to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Waikato Land Wars.

He says commemorating the anniversary is part of a process to move from grievance to redevelopment – in line with Tainui-Waikato’s Whakatipuranga 2050 – a blueprint developed to guide them into the future.

“For more than 130 years we lived in grievance mode. Since the (1995) settlement there is a paradigm shift from grievance to reconciliation, and redevelopment. We were provided with a base from which we can empower our people.”

Te Puni Kōkiri is providing secretariat and administrative support for Ngā Pae o Maumahara.

“Acknowledging and enabling more people to learn about this event is an important part of our nation building,” says Waikato Regional Director Gail Campbell.

“Te Puni Kōkiri supports opportunities for Māori to sustain and leverage their identity and culture. For us, acknowledging the losses, and telling untold stories is part of a wider conversation about who we are as a nation.”

Activities and events are planned to start with a ceremony at Mangatāwhiri Stream on 12 July.

A key commemoration event will be on 20 November – the anniversary of Rangiruru one of the most bloody and decisive battles of the campaign. Both British troops and Waikato Māori sustained more casualties than in any other engagement during the New Zealand Wars.

The largely defenceless attack on Rangiaowhia, near Te Awamutu, in February 1864, will also be commemorated. That attack came as the main forces were stationed elsewhere and aimed at cutting off food supply to the Māori fighters.

In March 2014 the Battle of O-Rākau will be remembered in an Honouring Forgotten Heroes event over several days. Commemorations of that battle, immortalised as ‘Rewi’s Last Stand’ have been running for several years with each year attracting more people. Fundraising is well underway for a replacement for the 100-year-old existing memorial which will be unveiled at next year’s commemoration.

And for those of you who are not able to make any of the commemoration events, you can take yourself on your own tour of discovery. Tourism Waikato has joined forces with the Historic Places Trust to develop a digital resource including maps and commentary accessible through iPhone and Android Driving Tour Apps.

Photo: Survivors of the O-Rākau battle gather on the 50th anniversary in 1914. They are from L to R: Te Wairoa Piripi, Hekiera te Rangai, Huihi Pou-Patate, Te Huia Raureti, Mahu Te Mona, Te Wharerangi Parekawa.

Te Wharerangi Parekawa, fl 1845?-1914. Māori survivors of war. Cowan, James, 1870-1943 : Collection of photographs. Ref: 1/1-017975-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22299953