Overview
The response to calls to defend 'King and Country' when war broke out in 1914 varied from tribe to tribe. Some rallied as freely as the most patriotic Pakeha communities. Others actively resisted the call to arms. The varied reactions reflected the experiences of iwi to British colonialism in the 19th century.
By the end of the war a total of 2,227 Maori and 458 Pacific Islanders had served in what became known as the Maori Pioneer Battalion. Of these, 336 died on active service and 734 were wounded.
Native and Maori
During the early stages of the First World War there is frequent reference to the Maori Contingent however officially this was the Native Contingent.
The use of the term 'native' in reference to Maori was not dropped from official use until 1947, largely on the initiative of the Prime Minister at the time, Peter Fraser who was also the Minister of Native Affairs.
Christopher Pugsley believed that in battle many New Zealanders saw the Maori not only as a soldier but also as an individual person for the first time, commenting that it was ironic that New Zealanders had to go to Gallipoli and France to find out about themselves and each other.
The four Maori MPs were united in their support for Maori participation in the war. The MP for Northern Maori, Peter Buck, led by example and volunteered for service, sailing with the first contingent in February 1915. He hoped that a wider sense of patriotism might break down the negative aspects of tribalism, which he believed was a handicap to Maori development. Apirana Ngata from Eastern Maori, believed involvement would strengthen Maori claims for equal status with Pakeha.
In 1914 Imperial government policy opposed the idea of 'native peoples' fighting in a war among Europeans. There were fears that they might turn on their colonial masters, or cause embarrassment by expecting equal treatment with European soldiers. When it was suggested that Maori be sent to garrison the newly captured German Samoa, the New Zealand Administrator, Robert Logan, cabled the government to say that this might be provocative to the Samoan population. Instead the Native Contingent of a little over 500 men left Wellington bound for Egypt on 14 February 1915.