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Pioneer Battalion flag
This First World War New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion flag is attributed to Captain Pirimi Tahiwi.
In the centre of the flag is a red crown with a taiaha (spear) and Tewhatewha (long-handled axe-shaped club) through the centre. The wording around the crown reads: 'TE HOKO WHITU A TU N-Z-N-C', with New Zealand Maori Contingent and N.Z. Pioneers all in red.
The motto 'Te Hokowhitu a Tu' means 'The 70 twice-told warriors of the War God'.
Image courtesy National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 1984.1628
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.
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GoogleHow to cite this page: 'Pioneer Battalion flag', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/pioneers-flag, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 3-Mar-2010
Thanks for this, Jock - we've updated the caption now.
Kia ora
Jamie Mackay
Senior Web Editor
www.nzhistory.net.nz
The two weapons on the Flag (crest) of the WW1 Maori Battalion are a Taiaha (the pointed one ) and a Tewhatewha (looks a bit like an axe.)
The terms spear and club are misnomers.
What do you know?
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