"The New Zealand Wars of the mid-ninteenth century profoundly shaped the course and direction of our nation’s history. Fought between the Crown and various groups of Māori between 1845 and 1872, the wars touched many aspects of life in nineteenth-century New Zealand, even in those regions spared actual fighting. Physical reminders of these conflicts and their aftermath can be found all over the country, whether in central Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, or in more rural locations such as Te Pōrere or Te Awamutu. The wars are an integral part of the New Zealand story, but we have not always cared to remember or acknowledge them. Today interest in the wars is resurgent. Public figures are calling for the wars to be taught in all schools and a national day of commemoration was recently established. In The New Zealand Wars/Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa, Vincent O'Malley explores the events, causes and consequences of these defining conflicts"--Back cover.