ParihakaParihaka

"The Government's occupation of Parihaka on 5 th November, 1881, was an inevitable consequence of Te Whiti creating aquasi-republic which refused to recognise the sovereignty of the Crown, or the laws of the land. That the occupation was achieved peacefully was as much a tribute to the restraint of Te Whiti and Tohu, as to the decision of the Government to arrive with overwhelming force so as to deter any ideas of resistance. This book explains the complicated land situation in Taranaki which led to war and confiscation, and narrates the rise of Te Whiti and Parihaka - the tensions between him and the settlers, and the Government's failed efforts to resolve the situation. It also covers the later years of the prophets Te Whiti and Tohu and the dispute which marred their lives, culminating in the decline of Te Whiti's influence as his prophecies failed to materialise. Ultimately this influence was replaced by the Young Maori Party of Apirana Ngata who worked for assimilation with European ways."