Te Ahuahu

Te Ahuahu is a high andesitic basaltic scoria cone to the east of Lake Ōmāpere, in the Kaikohe-Bay of Islands volcanic field in New Zealand.

History

It was the site of the pā of Hōne Heke – a highly influential Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) – that was the scene of the Battle of Te Ahuahu during the Flagstaff War of 1845–46. Here on 12 June 1845 a Maori raiding party led by Tāmati Wāka Nene captured the pā after Heke left it to gather food. During failed attempts to retake the pā, Heke was seriously wounded when shot in the thigh and at least 30 of his men were killed or wounded.

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