Carved wooden pou mark the site of Pukehinahina, the Battle of Gate Pa. Photo/file
Growing up in New Zealand, my knowledge of my country's history is horribly lacking.
Throughout all 13 of my school years, the only New Zealand history we ever learned was a brief overview of the Treaty of Waitangi and the heroic parts played by Kiwis in the two World Wars.
I can remember spending an entire term learning about the Russian Revolution, another term on Gandhi and countless weeks investigating the spread of the black plague in the Middle Ages.
It wasn't until I left school and became a reporter that I learned about New Zealand's own wars in the 1800s. I knew the land wars had happened but, other than vague notions about land confiscation, had no real idea about the events so important to my own history.
Three years ago, I was asked to cover the lead up to the Pukehinahina (Battle of Gate Pa) 150 year commemorations and it came as a huge shock to learn an actual battle had been fought under the shopping centre where I buy all my craft materials.
