Wairau incident was a deadly encounter between European settlers and Indigenous (native) Māori on the South Island of New Zealand. The dispute involved land on the Wairau Plains, near the city of Nelson, in the northeastern part of the island. It was the first major conflict between Māori and British settlers following the 1840 signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (see Waitangi, Treaty of). The incident was also the first armed conflict between settlers and Māori on the South Island.
The Treaty of Waitangi had formed a foundation for establishing New Zealand as a British colony. However, the British and Māori often disagreed over the exact terms of the agreement. In mid-1843, settlers of the New Zealand Company, which promoted British colonization, claimed traditionally Māori-held land on the Wairau Plains. Te Rauparaha and Te Rangihaeata were Māori chiefs of the local Ngāti Toa iwi (tribe). They claimed authority over the land and denied having sold it.
In an effort to defend their rights, Māori attempted to delay the settlers’ surveying of the land. In response, an armed group of settlers set out from Nelson. The group planned to arrest Te Rauparaha and his supporters. However, fighting broke out, and 22 colonists and at least 4 Māori were killed. Te Rongo, the wife of Te Rangihaeata and daughter of Te Rauparaha, was one of the victims.
The Wairau incident alarmed many British settlers, who feared it could trigger a wider Māori uprising. The settlers called on the colonial government to take stern action against Māori. However, the new colonial governor, Robert FitzRoy, investigated the situation and determined that Māori had been in the right. He found that Māori had not in fact sold their land.
Some historians referred to the Wairau incident as the “Wairau massacre” or the “Wairau affray.” However, modern historians generally reject those names, which imply innocence on the part of the colonists. Scholars today accept that, though both sides bear some responsibility for the violence, Māori were simply defending their land.
