About this season
Mihingarangi Forbes examines the armed conflicts of the late 1800s between Māori and the military might of the British Empire in this documentary series on the bloody birth of modern Aotearoa.
Episodes (5)
1. Stories of Ruapekapeka
Aired 28 October 2017 • 33 min
The Stories of Ruapekapeka, a documentary highlighting Northland's most infamous armed conflict, is hosted by RNZ's Māori Issues Correspondent Mihingarangi Forbes, and was made alongside Great Southern Television with funding from NZ on Air.
2. Stories of Waitara
Aired 27 October 2019 • 44 min
NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara combines oral histories, state of the art animations and powerful dramatic re-enactments to bring to life the narratives of Te Ātiawa in their epic battle against the military might of the British Empire.
3. Stories of Tainui
Aired 12 February 2021 • 47 min
The 1863 invasion of the Waikato was the defining conflict of New Zealand, reinforcing the Crown's power, entrenching one of Aotearoa's oldest political institutions and resulting in land confiscations that continue to shape New Zealand today.
4. Stories of Wairau
Aired 4 February 2023 • 56 min
The fourth chapter in RNZ’s NZ Wars series examines the events that led to the first armed conflict between Ngāti Toa, the New Zealand Company and Nelson settlers just three years after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
5. Stories of Tauranga Moana
Aired 29 April 2024 • 47 min
The fifth chapter of this series, NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana recounts the events that unfolded in the Bay of Plenty and their far-reaching consequences for future generations.