Putahi is a high rhyolite dome, in the Kaikohe-Bay of Islands volcanic field in New Zealand. To the north of Putahi is Lake à ÂmÃÂpere. To its north east are the volcanoes of Tarahi and Te Ahuahu.
It was the site of the first, successful for the British, battle of the Flagstaff War of 1845âÂÂ46 against Hà Âne Heke's NgÃÂpuhi tribe fraction. Lieutenant-Colonel William Hulme and his force of about 200 soldiers, marines and volunteers having destroyed a coastal pàat à Âtuihu moved on Hà Âne Heke at his new pà(Te Mawhe PÃÂ) on the Lake à ÂmÃÂpere side of Puketutu which they arrived at on 7 May 1845 before its fortifications were fully complete. However the next day, they were attacked on the flank by a force of 140 fighters led by Te Ruki Kawiti and as the British dealt with this, Hà Âne Heke attacked from the pàdefences. In the fierce running battle that ensured the NgÃÂpuhi withdrew initially to the pÃÂ, and then abandoning it, after the British realised they could not take it without artillery, so withdrew themselves from continued confrontation. The NgÃÂpuhi had lost 28 warriors to the British death toll of 15 by the time of the British occupation of the now empty pÃÂ, that never again was used by the NgÃÂpuhi. The MÃÂori learnt an important lesson at Puketutu: that the British were a formidable foe in open battle and changed their tactics towards using fully prepared pÃÂs in future clashes.