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Story: Musket wars

Growing potatoes

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Growing potatoes

This is believed to be Ngāpuhi leader Tāmati Wāka Nene's at Ōkaihau. The holes at the bottom of the palisade walls were loopholes through which muskets were fired. In the background are potato fields which helped to fund and provision tribes during the musket wars.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: A-079-031

by Cyprian Bridge

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Basil Keane, Musket wars – Musket wars overview, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/38075/growing-potatoes (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Basil Keane, published 23 May 2012.