Battles in the Bay: Musket Wars

The introduction and trade in muskets meant an initial imbalance of power between iwi which left many vulnerable to invasion, setting the scene for the Treaty and New Zealand Land Wars. Our programme looks at what occurred for Ngāti Kahungunu and the counter-strategies that they used to retain rangatiratanga over the whenua. We will explore local rangatira and significant sites, observe traditional weapons from our collection, visit the Kuru Taonga exhibition, and finish with a hands on activity in our craft room.

Learning Areas and Strands: Social Sciences, Local History

Duration: 1.5 hours

Suitable for: Year 7-13

Availability: Contact educators. 

Cost (per student): $2.50 primary, $4.50 secondary

Based in the museum classroom, your students will:

• Learn about the musket wars in this area and what they meant for Ngāti Kahungunu

• Visit the Kuru Taonga exhibition to see people from this period and their taonga

• Participate in a craft activity (to be discussed with educators on booking)