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Story: New Zealand Wars

Roadside Stories: Te Ruapekapeka, site of Kawiti's pā

During the Northern War of the mid-1840s, Ngāpuhi leader Te Ruki Kawiti built a complex at Te Ruapekapeka which included fortified underground shelters. After a bombardment by British artillery, Kawiti and his men abandoned Te Ruapekapeka in January 1846. Its remains can still be seen today. Listen to a Roadside Story about Kawiti’s .

Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

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How to cite this page

Danny Keenan, New Zealand Wars – Northern War, 1845–1846, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/45052/roadside-stories-te-ruapekapeka-site-of-kawitis-pa (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Danny Keenan, published 30 April 2014, updated 29 November 2022.