Musket Wars

 

Summary of 5 paragraphs on Michael King's musket war prologue.

 

No history before 1840.

Comment: No one kept track of what happened and also they had nothing to write on or with.

 

Fighting use to be local

Comment: Other tribes wanted to fight for their land. 

 

1/3 of Maori died in 1815 to 1840 (25 years).

Comment: Wars broke out all around Aotearoa ( New Zealand )

 

Slaves provide flax for more muskets and also they were walking food

Comment: The slaves from war got captured and made to craft flax items and used to feed the other men

 

Muskets changed the Rangatira role and ascendancy.



Comment: The killing of all the chiefs and their sons have changed the line of ascendancy.
























The Badass of the week

I read Badass of the Week interpretation of Hongi Hika's life by Ben Thompson. He is a funny guy. He was very vivid on the gruesome parts of their battles and their lives and their choices of eating. He did it in three sections; when James Cook arrived, the trading and Hongi's musket wars.

When James Cook arrived some "pimped out war canoes" rocked up with "severed heads". He must of thought "shit!", oh my God I'm going to die. He would be thinking these people were ruthless killers. I am surprised him or any of his crew members didn't shoot them. He must of thought the Maori had valuable things on the island or he must have thought he could of made money off them. Cook must have kept a cool head and a gun close by.

Hongi Hika was wise in military tactics and trading with Europeans. He was a really good fighter. I think he must been clever because when his chief died he took the rest of his army and hid them and because of that he became chief. He also swapped the heads of fallen rivals heads for muskets and bullets. He also went to England and got heaps of gifts from the King and then he swapped them for guns and bullets in Australia. I think he would have been quite intelligent, very dedicated in his beliefs and what he thought right and wrong is.

The musket wars raged through New Zealand and death followed everywhere Hongi Hika went. He was ruthless

We read a Wikipedia entry about Tumatauenga, the god of war and balance. We learnt about Tumatauenga asking his brother Tanemahuta to kill their parents Ranginui and Papatuanuku, so there could be light. Tanemahuta didn't follow his brothers orders and he only push them apart and his brother Tumatauenga wasn't pleased with his actions so he snared the children of Tanemahuta.

Long-handled weapons

Taiaha (fighting staff)

.

Pouwhenua (pointed fighting staff)

Tewhatewha (axe-like fighting staff)

Patu (club)

 

The Maori warriors were fierce and skilled fighters. They worked very hard to keep their land and to feed their whanau, the warriors had to be physically strong and mentally. I think the film trailers looked realistic because in the trailers they showed big men ready to fight for a cause and they acted like the maori would of done when about to fight. The warriors go to war on behave of Tumatauenga. All war parties are dedicated to Tumatauenga. Times back then would of been really physically demanding and would of been dangerous time to live in. Death would be a high possibility in general.

Badass of the week