St. Georges Anglican Church which sits on the site of the Battle of Gate Pa is conducting a lecture series given by Cliff Simons, a local military historian, in January and February 2013 to encourage an understanding of the battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga, and all are welcome to attend.
In 1864 at the end of the Waikato War, Tauranga Moana iwi and the British Army with the Royal Navy faced off in two significant battles; Gate Pa and Te Ranga.
The British were decisively defeated at Gate Pa but the tables were turned at Te Ranga where approximately 160 M?ori were killed. The aftermath of the battle saw large confiscations of M?ori land and the establishment of the fledgling town of Tauranga. These events reverberate down through time and still have an effect on the life of the city today.
The 150th commemorations of the battles occur on 29 April and 21 June 2014. A large and diverse range of events, city wide are being planned to mark the occasion.
These coincide with a growing interest, local and nationwide, in our colonial past and how it shaped present day New Zealand society.
Cliff will explain why the fighting broke out at Gate Pa, what happened during the battle, and what the aftermath was.
There will also be an opportunity to look around the site to try to imagine what it looked like in 1864.
In February, Cliff will also give a talk about the Treaty of Waitangi. We will explain the circumstances that led to the Treaty and reflect upon how the Treaty has been viewed since its signing.
There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion after the talks.
Dates and times:
Battle of Gate Pa
Sunday 13th January; 2-4pm
Sunday 20th January; 2-4pm
Treaty of Waitangi
Sunday 3rd February; 2-4pm
All talks are at St. Georges Anglican Church, corner of Cameron Rd. and Church St., Gate Pa, above the Mega Mitre 10.
