By Pokere Paewai
A ceremony held today at the site of the battle for Ooraakau Pā, to commemorate the NZ Wars. Photo: Supplied/ Te Puni Kōkiri
The national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars was marked this morning, but there are concerns it passed many by unnoticed.
A ceremony was held in Waikato at the site of the battle for Ooraakau Pā, to remember those who fought and fell in the wars and their ongoing effects.
Watch: RNZ's NZ Wars series
Ooraakau is where the Crown besieged a fortified pā near Kihikihi in March 1864, after more than 1400 troops were deployed to chase Rewi Maniapoto and suppress the Kiingitanga.
About 160 of the pā occupants were killed, many of them bayoneted as they tried to leave when they ran out of food and water. Crown casualties were put at 17 dead and 50 wounded.
The commemorations today Photo: Supplied/ Te Puni Kōkiri
Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Apakura kaumātua Tom Roa said it was vital the country knew about these battles and the long-term consequences still being felt.
The national day, Te Pūtake o te Riri, was announced in 2016 after a petition called for a public holiday and for New Zealand history to be taught in schools.
While proud of Friday's ceremony, which included the Anglican Church gifting back one of Rewi Maniapoto's original kaitaka, Roa said the lack of national holiday meant the day went unmarked by most.
He bet few would have even known.
"I don't know that the remembrance of this day or the commemoration of the New Zealand wars is front and centre for all of New Zealand," Roa said.
"A holiday would make it such."
New Zealand history will be taught in schools from 2023, but there had been no pledges for a national holiday.
The date of 28 October marked not only when a petition was delivered to parliament in 2015, but also the day one of the country's founding documents - He Whakaputanga - the Declaration of Independence, was signed in 1835.
"I don't know how many of your listeners will be even aware of the 28th of October as the date that the Declaration of Independence of the Māori chiefs was signed," Roa said.