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How Muskets Upended Maori Warfare
- Maori intertribal warfare was structured and ritualized, often fought after harvest using clubs like wakaika and patu.
- Firearms from Europeans later transformed conflict dynamics and raised casualty rates dramatically.
Musket Wars And Demographic Impact
- The introduction of muskets triggered the Musket Wars: tribes raced to acquire and master firearms, causing large-scale violence and social upheaval.
- About 20,000 Maori and New Zealanders died before mutual access to guns produced an uneasy equilibrium.
Treaty Of Waitangi And Broken Promises
- In 1835 fear of French annexation prompted many Maori to ally with Britain and sign the Treaty of Waitangi.
- The treaty promised sovereignty and land protections but was later widely violated by British colonial authorities.