REVIEW
Omarunui Parlour Projects, Hastings
Until November 5
Reviewed by Matthew Mullany
The 1866 battle of Omarunui is a moment in Hawke's Bay history that evokes many different feelings. Jono Rotman's The Omarunui exhibition at Parlour Projects in Hastings is an important contribution to an emerging discussion about this historical event.
This year is the battle's 150th anniversary. Rotman's exhibition depicts people and objects that are significant to the encounter. The battle and its consequences are complex for a variety of reasons. Maori fought on both sides of the conflict. Many Maori who fought against each other were related.
There were significant consequences for all Maori after the battle. For those who defended their territory, their descendants would inherit the enduring label of "turncoat'' for allying with the Crown. For those who surrendered, the Crown inflicted death, Chatham Islands incarceration and land confiscation on them. Anguish, grief and loss are still felt by some descendants today.
The battle was also a significant one from a British and settler perspective. There were no imperial and colonial forces at Omarunui. The local settler militia comprised civilians and ex-veterans obligated to fight (out of duty) to protect the settlement. It was a reluctant conflict.