A Short History Of The New Zealand Wars

BY: Gordon McLauchlan
Location: NF 993.022 MCL
Genre: New Zealand History 

We all should know our story. I thought I was pretty informed, and then I read Witi Ihimaeras new books Moetu Sleeps Standing and I thought to myself where is Orakau? I goggled it.
It is 21km from my front door- I thought I knew  but I didn't. The last few weeks I have been reading, driving, looking and searching in our local area of Waipa. This area is central to the Waikato Wars and it carries story of treachery, land grabbing, injustice, heroism and evil. I have just read an old local history about Cambridge- what amazing yarns it spins. 
We all need to know these stories, even if they revolt us, or the truth is not what we want to hear- we need to hear it, we need to know these stories and make them known.
The pain of the past needs acknowledging, its needs retelling, it needs new listeners.

This book is perfect- read it!
It is concise, it is well researched, it gathers the lessons learned from past researchers and it retells the stories of our past in a readable, yarnable, and convicting way.
It is not comfortable to read- and neither should it be!

"This insightful and accessible book will be of interest to New Zealanders wanting to find out more about the New Zealand wars and the Maori struggle over land and political power (rangatiratanga) and their consequences for our country without having to wade through heavy tomes"