The Great War for New Zealand

No te taenga ki te kohuru i Rangiaohia, katahi au ka mohio he tino pakanga nui tenei, no Niu Tireni

When it came to the (time of the) murder at Rangiaohia, then I knew, for the first time, that this was a great war for New Zealand

Wiremu Tamihana (1865)

A monumental new account of the defining conflict in New Zealand history. It was war in the Waikato in 1863–64 that shaped the nation in all kinds of ways: setting back Māori and Pākehā relations by several generations and allowing the government to begin to assert the kind of real control over the country that had eluded it since 1840.

Spanning nearly two centuries from first contact through to settlement and apology, ​Vincent ​O’Malley focuses on the human impact of the war, its origins and aftermath. Based on many years of research and illustrated throughout, The Great War for New Zealand is a groundbreaking book written in the conviction that a nation needs to own its history.

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Endorsements

Vincent O’Malley’s work in regard to the Waikato Wars brings to life the ancestors of New Zealand history. He shines a spotlight on a dark period of our collective past and brings it into a modern conversation for the consideration of New Zealand’s future. Rahui Papa, Chairman, Te Arataura, Waikato-Tainui

Across this nation, there are defining moments in our history. The Waikato Wars changed the face of Aotearoa New Zealand and most significantly the lives and wellbeing of Waikato-Tainui through the confiscation of lands. It is a story that must be told, must not be forgotten and must be shared in the living rooms of all New Zealanders for our future generations. This rich account by Vincent O’Malley strikes out to do that – E te rangatira, teenei te whakaaro nui ki a koe. Parekawhia McLean, Ngaati Mahanga, Waikato-Tainui, Ngaati Maniapoto

As a descendant of the survivors of Rangiaowhia, this book’s title and its source resonate with me. In this essential work Vincent O’Malley asks Aotearoa New Zealand to confront the ‘Great War’ fought on our own back door step – a conflict that has, until now, largely been ignored. Kia puta ki te whai-ao, ki te ao-mārama! Tom Roa, Waikato-Maniapoto; Senior Lecturer, School of Māori and Pacific Development, University of Waikato

The Waikato War was the most decisive in New Zealand’s history, but has long been overshadowed by bigger wars overseas. Now, in a fine new book, Vincent O’Malley gives the traumatic conflict its due. James Belich, Beit Professor of Imperial and Commonwealth History, University of Oxford

Vincent O’Malley has produced a hugely impressive work of history and a powerful story that should be read by all who care about New Zealand. Jock Phillips, former General Editor of Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand