A ceremony to mark 150 years since one of the Waikato War battles, killing nearly 50 people both Maori and Pakeha, has been held near the township of Pirongia in the Waipa District.
In the battle of 1864, Captain Charles Heaphy - who avoided being killed while helping a wounded soldier - received the Victoria Cross. He was the first member outside of regular units of the British empire to get one.
Ngati Apakura elder Tom Roa says Tuesday's service served as a reminder for people to consider what happened during the battle, and the lives lost among both Maori and British troops.
The ceremony near the site of the conflict included speeches by Maori and Crown historians.
