Mike Butler: Day to honour tribal rebels

The government has caved in to a petition fronted by two Otorohanga College pupils, Waimarama Anderson and Leah Bell, by agreeing to a national day to remember 19th century tribal rebellions. The aims of their petition were:

1. To raise awareness of the Land Wars and how they relate to local history for schools and communities.

2. To introduce these local histories into the New Zealand Curriculum as a course of study for all New Zealanders.

3. To memorialise those who gave their lives on New Zealand soil with a statutory day of recognition.