This audio guide relates the story of the 1843 land dispute at Wairau, near Te Waiharakeke (Blenheim), which resulted in nearly 30 deaths. This tragic incident was triggered by questionable land dealings by agents of the New Zealand Company. It led both Māori and non-Māori to question whether the undertakings given in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) would be upheld.
Claudia Orange, Te Tiriti o Waitangi – the Treaty of Waitangi – The first decades after te tiriti – 1840 to 1860, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/36353/wairau-incident-1843 (accessed 4 June 2026).
Story by Claudia Orange, published 5 June 2012, reviewed and revised 28 March 2023 with assistance from Claudia Orange. It was translated into te reo Māori by Basil Keane.