This is the rear view of the gateway at Rangiriri Pā (the sun was too bright in my photos of the front). The carved gateway, made from salvaged Totara, was unveiled in 2012. The last gateway at the Pā was present in the 1970s.
The tohu incorporates symbols and designs using Māori iconology and tells the story of Rangiriri, including Kiingitanga and the Crown. The Rangiriri battle was one of the first battles in Waikato. Rangiriri Pā (Māori fortified settlement) formed a defensive line more than a kilometre long. In 1863 Rangiriri was stormed by Imperial forces during the Waikato War. Although the British eventually took the Pā, they were repelled eight times. The battle at Rangiriri was one of the bloodiest of any during the New Zealand Wars. Around 130 British troops were killed or wounded compared to around 70 Māori casualties. (...and here endeth your history lesson for today, lol!)
