Recent debate over the New Zealand Army’s cultural framework has sparked strong opinions about the role of Māori culture within the military. Yet the historical record suggests this relationship is far older than many realise, stretching back more than a century.

More than a century before the current framework existed, one New Zealand Army unit was already carrying a Māori motto on its cap badge.

The 16th (Waikato) Regiment, formed during the Territorial Force reorganisation of 1911, adopted the phrase “Ka whawhai tonu ake ake”, translated as “We shall fight forever and ever.”

The words are widely associated with the determination expressed by Rewi Maniapoto during the New Zealand Wars. Their appearance on the insignia of a Territorial regiment illustrates an important point: Māori language and symbolism were already present in the Army’s traditions long before modern cultural policy frameworks existed.

This was reflected not only in the motto but also in the iconography of the regiment’s badge, which incorporated the arm of a Māori warrior holding a taiaha. The imagery evoked the martial traditions of the Waikato region and reflected the long-standing association between Māori concepts of warrior identity and the military ethos adopted by New Zealand’s citizen soldiers.

Such examples demonstrate that Māori language and symbolism were already being incorporated into military heraldry and identity in the early twentieth century, not as a matter of modern policy but as part of the Army’s evolving traditions.

Together, the motto and badge illustrate how elements of Māori culture had become embedded within the symbolism of New Zealand’s citizen forces well before the cultural reforms of the late twentieth century.

Against that background, it is useful to step back and consider the longer historical relationship between the New Zealand Army and Māori culture.

Military tradition and the role of mottos

Mottos have long played a central role in military identity.

Across armies around the world, they serve as concise expressions of a unit’s ethos, values, and aspirations. Their origins lie in the heraldic traditions of medieval Europe, where they appeared on coats of arms and battle standards as declarations of loyalty, courage, and honour. Over time, they became embedded in military culture, appearing on cap badges, colours, banners, and regimental insignia.

The language of these mottoes has historically reflected the cultural traditions of the forces adopting them. Latin dominated early European heraldry, French appeared widely within the British Army, and English became more common in modern formations.

When these traditions developed in New Zealand, they naturally absorbed elements of the country’s own cultural landscape. As a result, Māori phrases appeared alongside Latin and English in many military mottoes.

This pattern was consistent with practices elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Scottish regiments incorporated Gaelic mottos, Indian regiments adopted regional languages, and Gurkha units used Nepali phrases in their heraldry.

New Zealand units followed the same pattern.

Māori language in early New Zealand Army units

The example of the Waikato Regiment was not unique.

Historical records show that many early Volunteer and Territorial formations adopted Māori phrases as their regimental mottoes, often placing them directly on cap badges and insignia.

For example, the 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment adopted the motto:

“Kia pono tonu”
“Ever faithful.”

Other units used similarly distinctive Māori expressions, including:

• Kia toa – Be brave
• Kia tupato – Be cautious or watchful
• Whakatangata kia kaha – Quit yourselves like men, be strong
• Ake ake kia kaha – Forever and ever be strong

These phrases appeared not only in official records but directly on cap badges and regimental insignia, becoming part of the visual identity of the units themselves.

Some of these expressions have endured for generations. The phrase “Ake Ake Kia Kaha”, for example, remains associated with Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles and is widely recognised within New Zealand military culture.

Māori imagery in military heraldry

Language was not the only way Māori culture appeared within the Army’s traditions.

Elements of Māori symbolism also appeared in military heraldry and insignia. This is notable because heraldic designs tend to be among the most conservative elements of military tradition, often remaining unchanged for decades.

The modern New Zealand Army badge reflects this blending of traditions. When the Army adopted the identity of Ngāti Tūmatauenga in the 1990s, the badge was modified to include a taiaha, replacing the earlier British-style sword.

Rather than representing a sudden cultural shift, the change reflected an effort to express a distinctly New Zealand military identity while maintaining continuity with existing traditions.

Māori language in wartime formations

Māori language also appeared within wartime formations.

During the First World War, reinforcement contingents sometimes wore unofficial badges incorporating Māori mottoes such as “Kokiri Kia Maia” (Attack with confidence) and “Huia Tatou” (Let us band together).

The tradition became particularly visible during the Second World War with the formation of the 28th (Māori) Battalion, whose rallying cry included the phrase:

“Ake! Ake! Kia Kaha E!”
“Forever and ever be strong.”

The battalion’s service and reputation helped cement the place of Māori identity within New Zealand’s military history.

Understanding the present debate

The recent pause of the Army’s Cultural Skills Framework illustrates how questions about identity, culture, and military purpose continue to generate discussion within New Zealand.

For some observers, cultural initiatives within the military reflect the country’s bicultural foundations and the historical contribution of Māori soldiers. Others view such initiatives more cautiously, emphasising the importance of maintaining a clear focus on operational capability and readiness.

Both perspectives have appeared prominently in recent public commentary.

What history suggests, however, is that the relationship between the New Zealand Army and Māori culture did not begin with recent policy initiatives.

Elements of the Māori language and symbolism have appeared in unit traditions, insignia, and military culture for more than a century.

Historical perspective

Seen in that longer context, the present debate is part of an evolving discussion rather than a completely new development.

From early Volunteer regiments adopting Māori mottoes, to the service of the Māori Pioneer Battalion and the 28th Māori Battalion, to the later adoption of the Ngāti Tūmatauenga identity, the interaction between Māori and Pākehā traditions has been a recurring feature of the New Zealand Army’s history.

Understanding that history does not determine how the present debate should be resolved, but it does help ensure the discussion begins with a clearer view of the Army’s past.