Met by a combination of mutual mistrust on the one hand and a sense of opportunity on the other, the earliest contacts between Māori and Europeans would grow into a mutually beneficial economic relationship by the 1840s and 1850s. The Treaty of Waitangi sealed the relationship, with a vital element becoming amalgamation. Māori were granted the rights and privileges of British subjects under a universal system under the treaty’s terms and early colonial laws. Unfortunately, the relationship was often one-sided, favouring the Crown and settlers who would set the terms of the amalgamation process into one of assimilation, intending to absorb Māori into the white settler world. This path led to conflict, followed by erecting barriers between Māori and Settlers that would endure for generations. One hundred and seventy-nine years after the treaty’s signing, the relationship between Māori and Europeans has matured, with many colonial-era grievances reconciled or on the path of reconciliation. A sign of how far the nation’s relationship between Māori and Europeans has matured is found in one of the institutions of the state, the Army, now recognised as the standalone iwi: Ngāti Tumatauenga – ‘Tribe of the God of War’.

Ngāti Tumatauenga is the youngest iwi of New Zealand, established in 1994 as the result of an initiative by the Chief of General Staff (CGS), Major General Anthony Leonard Birks, CB, OBE. The CGS intended to regenerate the Army’s culture into a “uniquely New Zealand Military culture by combining appropriate aspects of European and Māori heritage to enhance further the cohesion, morale and esprit de corps of the Army”.[1]Established with the blessing of the veterans of the 28th Māori Battalion, the Māori Queen and iwi surrounding Waiouru; Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Tuhoe. [2] Ngāti Tumatauenga blends the customs and warrior traditions of Māori and Europeans into a fusion of both, laying the basis of the New Zealand Army’s ethos and values.[3] Although Ngāti Tumatauenga is a modern conception, it has a strong whakapapa drawn from its Māori and European ancestry, reflecting its position as the guardian of all the peoples of New Zealand regardless of race, religion or creed.[4]

The path towards Ngāti Tumatauenga has been extended, as, for most of its existence, the New Zealand Army, like those of Canada, South Africa and Australia, embraced British military traditions. Regardless of the British Military influence, there has always been a desire to identify New Zealand as a unique military entity. In World Wars, Canada, South Africa, and Australia sent expeditionary forces filled with units bearing English, Scottish and Irish names, motifs and identities to battlefields worldwide; New Zealand would be the exception. Although there were Territorial units in New Zealand with Scottish identities, the New Zealand Military authorities felt that New Zealand was too small to allow these identities to be embodied as separate units within the Expeditionary Forces. New Zealand Forces would march in one khaki uniform and wore distinctive New Zealand badges up to the Second World War, often including Māori phrases and symbology.[5]

The only logical exception to this was the Māori, who participated as a distinct subunit, representing a subset of New Zealand in a manner that the Scots or Irish did not.[6] In their quest to establish New Zealand Forces as a recognisable national entity, New Zealand Military authorities inadvertently paved the way for the eventual establishment of Ngāti Tumatauenga in later years.

In addition to the British Military traditions, Māori Tikanga (cultural customs and practices) serves as the binding force for Ngāti Tumatauenga. These distinct and unique cultural practices and traditions enhance the loyalty, cohesion, and tribal identity of the Modern New Zealand Warrior. [7] Contrary to popular belief, Māori warfare was not a permanent fixture of Māori culture and life; instead, it was a practice employed depending on circumstances, such as acquiring land, countering threats, or defending Mana (prestige and authority). Māori refined their warfighting traditions as participants on both sides of the conflicts during the nineteenth-century New Zealand land wars.

In the twentieth century, Māori leaders like Sir Apirana Ngata viewed military service for the Crown as an extension of their warrior heritage and a path to equality. In his 1943 pamphlet “Price of Citizenship,” Ngata asserted, “We are of one house, and if our Pākehā (non-Māori) brothers fall, we fall with them. How can we even hold our heads up when the struggle is over if asked, ‘Where were you when New Zealand was at war?'” [8] Māori made significant and honorable contributions during the Second World War, solidifying their place in the post-war Army. A 1977 survey indicated that Māori comprised 34 percent of the Regular Force and 16 percent of the Territorial Force, a higher proportion than Māori employment in the general civilian workforce.[9] With the Māori cultural resurgence of the late twentieth century, the Army was well-prepared to embrace change, as this resurgence brought about transformations within the Army.

The rejuvenation of the New Zealand Army’s culture, initiated by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) in 1994, was swiftly implemented. While the Army badge retained its traditional British design, it was modified to include a taiaha (a traditional Māori weapon) instead of a sword, and a scroll was added, bearing the inscription “Ngāti Tumatauenga” at its base.[10]

The Army Marae, known as Rongomaraeroa-o-ngā-hau-e-whā, was officially dedicated during Labour Weekend in 1995. It holds a special place within the New Zealand Army, serving as the central point that all members, regardless of race, gender, or creed, pass through on their military journey. Its unique orientation, facing west towards the setting sun, sets this Marae apart. This symbolic positioning conveys a powerful message: Ngāti Tumatauenga is the nation’s guardian, protecting it day and night.

Rejuvenating the army’s culture was not without its share of challenges. The Army Marae, in contrast to traditional Maraes, has a less formal atmosphere. One recruit even commented, “The Māori culture here is quite different! I come from a place where it’s deeply ingrained. I told my dad that when we went to the Marae, they spoke English!” [11] Despite this critique, another soldier of Māori descent explained that “Ngāti Tumatauenga symbolizes the fusion of the Imperial soldier’s spirit with the Mana of the Māori warrior. This reflects the positive partnership principle of the Treaty of Waitangi and fills many with pride when including Ngāti Tumatauenga in their pepeha.”[12]

The introduction of Ngāti Tumatauenga faced initial resistance and skepticism. Its swift implementation caught many Army members off guard, leading to an abrupt and sometimes aggressive cultural shift. However, many of the original detractors and skeptics have come to embrace and appreciate the benefits of adopting Ngāti Tumatauenga.[13]

Approaching its twenty-fifth year, Ngāti Tumatauenga has gained acceptance within the community as a legitimate iwi (tribe). Māori performing arts play a significant role in promoting and preserving the Army’s cultural ethos. Ngāti Tumatauenga participates in national-level Kapa Haka competitions, sometimes with non-Māori individuals leading performances.[14] [15]Additionally, Māori performing arts, such as Kapa Haka, serve as a military and diplomatic tool on the international stage, highlighting how the shared Māori and European military heritage upholds the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and advances the interests of the New Zealand people.[16]

In conclusion, the transformation of the New Zealand Army into Ngāti Tumatauenga, the “Tribe of the God of War,” reflects the aspirations of early Māori and European settlers in New Zealand and their vision of unity under the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi. The journey from 1840 to 1994 was marked by conflicts between Māori and the Crown, shaping the Māori and Pākehā relationship into one that acknowledges each other’s martial capabilities. The World Wars of the early twentieth century saw New Zealand Expeditionary Forces and Māori Battalions earning respect from allies and adversaries, ultimately paving the way for Māori integration into the post-war New Zealand Army. Riding the wave of a resurgent Māori culture, the leadership of the New Zealand Army took a significant risk by embarking on cultural rejuvenation. The New Zealand Army, transformed into the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Tumatauenga, has evolved into a unique entity, shaped and defined by the influences of a resurgent Māori culture and the combined martial traditions of European soldiers and Māori warriors. Their shared history, heritage, and wartime experiences have cemented this transformation.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Major-General A.l.Birks. “Chief of General Staff Directive 9/94; the Army’s Culture.” Wellington: Army General Staff, HQ New Zealand Defence Force, 1994.

New Zealand Army. “The Army Culture.” NZ Army Publication (NZ P77) Why? Chapter 3, Section 1  (2014).

Secondary Sources

Published

Brosnahan, Seán. “Ngāti Tūmatauenga and the Kilties: New Zealand’s Ethnic Military Traditions.” In A Global Force: War, Identities and Scotland’s Diaspora, edited by David Forsyth, 168-92: Edinburgh University Press, 2016.

Cooke, Peter, and John Crawford. The Territorials. Wellington: Random House New Zealand Ltd, 2011.

Corbett, D. A. The Regimental Badges of New Zealand: An Illustrated History of the Badges and Insignia Worn by the New Zealand Army. Auckland, N.Z. : Ray Richards, 1980, Revised Edition, 1980.

Harding, Nina Joy. “You Bring It, We will Bring It Out”: Becoming a Soldier in the New Zealand Army: A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand. 2016.

Hohaia, Debbie. “In Search of a Decolonised Military: MāOri Cultural Learning Experiences in the New Zealand Defence Force.” Kōtuitui (Online)  (2016).

McKenzie, Peter. “How the NZ Army Became an Iwi.”  https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/11/25/331569/peter-mckenzie-on-army-as-an-iwi-for-monday.

Oldham, Geoffrey P. Badges and Insignia of the New Zealand Army: An Illustrated Price Guide to Cap and Collar Badges, Insignia and Shoulder Titles of the N.Z. Army, Police & Militia, from 1847 to the Present Day. New and rev. Ed ed.: Milimem Books, 2011.

Soutar, Monty. Ngā Tama Toa = He Toto Heke, He Tipare Here Ki Te Ūkaipo : Kamupene C, Ope Taua (Maori) 28 1939-1945 : I Tuhia Tenei Pukapua I Roto I Te Reo Maori. David Bateman, 2014.

Taylor, Richard Tribe of the War God: Ngati Tumatauenga. Heritage New Zealand, 1996. .

Te Ao Māori News. “Te Matatini 2015 – Te Kapa Haka O Kairanga.”  https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/te-matatini-2015-te-kapa-haka-o-kairanga.

Unpublished

“Discussions conducted by author with various members of the New Zealand  Army “. 2019.

---

Notes

[1] Major-General A.l.Birks, “Chief of General Staff Directive 9/94; the Army’s Culture,” (Wellington: Army General Staff, HQ New Zealand Defence Force, 1994).

[2] Peter McKenzie, “How the NZ Army Became an Iwi,”  https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/11/25/331569/peter-mckenzie-on-army-as-an-iwi-for-monday.

[3] New Zealand Army, “The Army Culture,” NZ Army Publication (NZ P77) Why? Chapter 3, Section 1  (2014).

[4] Richard  Taylor, Tribe of the War God : Ngati Tumatauenga (Heritage New Zealand, 1996), Bibliographies, Non-fiction, 110-11.

[5] Although many NZ badges follow British badge design conventions and in many cases are direct copies, many badges have also included many unique New Zealnd features such as the adoption of Māori iconography and symbols and use Te Reo Māori in place of the traditional English or latin for mottoes. D. A. Corbett, The Regimental Badges of New Zealand : An Illustrated History of the Badges and Insignia Worn by the New Zealand Army (Auckland, N.Z. : Ray Richards, 1980, Revised enl. edition, 1980), Non-fiction, 9-17.

[6] Seán Brosnahan, “Ngāti Tūmatauenga and the Kilties: New Zealand’s Ethnic Military Traditions,” in A Global Force: War, Identities and Scotland’s Diaspora, ed. David Forsyth (Edinburgh University Press, 2016), 168-83.

[7] New Zealand Army, “The Army Culture.”

[8] Monty Soutar, Ngā Tama Toa = He Toto Heke, He Tipare Here Ki Te Ūkaipo : Kamupene C, Ope Taua (Maori) 28 1939-1945 : I Tuhia Tenei Pukapua I Roto I Te Reo Maori (David Bateman, 2014), Bibliographies, Non-fiction, 35.

[9] Peter Cooke and John Crawford, The Territorials (Wellington: Random House New Zealand Ltd, 2011), 371.

[10] Geoffrey P. Oldham, Badges and Insignia of the New Zealand Army : An Illustrated Price Guide to Cap and Collar Badges, Insignia and Shoulder Titles of the N.Z. Army, Police & Militia, from 1847 to the Present Day, New and rev. ed ed. (Milimem Books, 2011), Bibliographies,Non-fiction, 92.

[11] Nina Joy Harding, “You Bring It, We’ll Bring It Out” : Becoming a Soldier in the New Zealand Army : A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand (2016), Non-fiction, 130.

[12] McKenzie, “How the NZ Army Became an Iwi”.

[13] “Discussuions Conducted by Author with Various Members of the New Zealsnd  Army Command Chain.,”  (2019).

[14] Te Ao Māori News, “Te Matatini 2015 – Te Kapa Haka O Kairanga,”  https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/te-matatini-2015-te-kapa-haka-o-kairanga.

[15] Debbie Hohaia, “In Search of a Decolonised Military : MāOri Cultural Learning Experiences in the New Zealand Defence Force,” Kōtuitui (Online)  (2016): 52.

[16] Ibid.