Hone Heke - The Flagstaff War

The Flagstaff War

Heke sought the support of Te Ruki Kawiti and other leaders of the Ngāpuhi iwi by the conveying of ‘te ngākau’, the custom observed by those who sought help to settle a tribal grievance.

On 8 July 1844 the flagstaff on Maiki Hill at the north end of Kororareka was cut down for the first time, by Heke's ally Te Haratua, the chief of Pakaraka. Heke himself had set out to cut down the flagstaff, but had been persuaded by Archdeacon William Williams not to do so. As a signal of his unhappiness with the British, and encouraged by the American traders, in the space of six months Hone Heke returned to chop the flagpole down three times. Heke had been strongly influenced by stories of the American War of Independence.

The uprising began when the flagpole was cut down for the fourth time at dawn on Tuesday 11 March 1845. A force of about 600 Māori armed with muskets, double-barrelled guns and tomahawks attacked Kororareka. Heke's warriors attacked the guard post, killing all the defenders, and Heke cut down the flagstaff. At the same time, possibly as a diversion, Te Ruki Kawiti and his men attacked the town of Kororareka. The survivors from the 250 soldiers and settlers abandoned the town as the naval ships bombarded Hekes' men with cannon, taking with them as many goods as they could carry. Heke's men then raided the town taking anything useful they could find. Heke's order that the southern part of Korororeka remain untouched resulted in the Anglican and Catholic churches being undamaged.

Many Māori under the mana of the leading northern rangitira, Tāmati Wāka Nene, stayed loyal to the British government. They took an active part in the fight against Heke and tried to maintain a dialogue with the rebels in an effort to bring peace.