Peeni Henare - Stories of Ruapekapeka

To commemorate the New Zealand Wars, and timed in with the New Zealand Government's first ever National Day of Commemoration (October 28), RNZ, in association with Great Southern TV and NZOA, has created an online project called Stories of Ruapekapeka, which captures Maori and Pakeha views of the Northern War - the first serious challenge to the Crown in the years after Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The conflict involved fighting between two factions of Ngapuhi as well as clashes with British forces, and began with the sacking of Kororareka (Russell) and ended with an inconclusive battle at Ruapekapeka in which 30 Maori and 45 British fighters died. Featured in the documentary is Peeni Henare (Ngati Hine), chairman for the Ruapekapeka Trust and great-grandson of Nga Puhi leader and politician Taurekareka Henare. Peeni Henare is currently MP for Tamaki Makaurau and Labour's spokesperson for Urban Maori, Maori Broadcasting, and State Services.