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Ōtuihu pā

British troops torching the pā (watercolour by John Williams, 1845). Alexander Turnbull Library

In their first strike following their embarrassing loss of Kororāreka, British forces struck Ōtuihu, the pā of neutral rangatira Pōmare II, whom they wrongly suspected was stockpiling weapons for Hōne Heke. The pā, said to be flying the white flag of truce, was burnt to the ground on 30 April 1845.

The pā site is the subject of an ongoing Treaty settlement and is expected to be returned to Ngāti Manu.

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Location source:

Prickett, p. 18; Leask pp. 78–79 and 92