The defenders of Ōrākau were outnumbered by government forces, and after a three-day siege, lack of food, water and ammunition forced them to abandon the pā and flee to safety across the Pūniu River. Before this, however, an opportunity to surrender was rejected with the famous words of defiance: ‘Ka whawhai tonu mātou, āke, āke!’ (‘We shall fight on forever!’).
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Alexander Turnbull Library
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MapColl-832.14hkm 1864 36888 Acc 4317.
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