Watch this impactful video where Matua George Hopa discusses the profound impact that land confiscation has had on Ngaati Wairere. Enormous amounts of land were taken during the colonial era of the 19th century, particularly during and directly after the New Zealand Wars from the 1840s to the 1870s. These conflicts led to the enactment of laws and policies by the government aimed at seizing Maaori land, especially in regions like Waikato where Maaori resistance to British colonisation was strong. Matua George Hopa shares an emotional whaanau experience which has resulted in intergenerational hurt. Furthermore, there is a powerful call to continue sharing these stories.

Whaea Hekeiterangi Broadhurst shared a poignant narrative: her grandmother's eyewitness account of the tragic events at Rangiaowhia, an incident that deeply affected her. Rangiaowhia stands as a pivotal moment during the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. In 1864, it marked a harrowing confrontation between British colonial forces and Māori inhabitants, resulting in significant casualties of men, women and children and widespread destruction of property, including homes and a church. Regrettably, this event is widely regarded as one of the most egregious war crimes perpetrated by the Crown against Maaori in New Zealand's history.