Story: Kīngitanga – the Māori King movement

With their muskets reversed, a party of King Tāwhiao's warriors perform a haka at his tangihanga at Taupiri in 1894. Most are wearing a blanket or shawl around the waist, as a reference to traditional fighting costume. An Auckland Star reporter noted, 'All the old weapons of primitive days in the possession of the hapus have been brought out for the occasion and many fine greenstone meres [clubs], taiahas [spears], etc. are on view'.