Tens of thousands of Maori died in the intertribal Musket Wars of the 1810s, 1820s and 1830s. Thousands more were enslaved or became refugees. Northern rivals Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua led the way, but all the tribes were soon trading for muskets.
Overview - Musket Wars
Changing cost of muskets 1814-1827
This diagram shows that muskets were most costly when they were most in demand – at the time of the great northern taua (raids) to the south, between 1818 and the early 1820s.
Diagram from New Zealand 1815–1870: the making of a colony, Students’ Bateman Historical Atlas, David Bateman Ltd, Auckland, 2000
Permission of David Bateman Ltd must be obtained before any reuse of this material.
Creative Commons License Type:
-None-
Other Ministry Websites
