Story: Musket wars

Hongi Hika's musket

This musket belonged to Hongi Hika, the renowned Ngāpuhi war leader, who is one of the pivotal figures of the musket wars. A handwritten label on the musket says, 'Silver mounted fowling piece originally a flint-lock given to Maori chief Hongi by George IV, 1820; used in battle against British by Hone Heke.' This weapon was known as a ngutu pārera (duck's bill) by Māori due to the shape of the hammer. Hongi would have brought this gun into New Zealand at the same time as a massive shipment of hundreds of muskets from Sydney in 1821.

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How to cite this page:

Basil Keane, 'Musket wars - Musket wars overview', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/38072/hongi-hikas-musket (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Basil Keane, published 20 Jun 2012