Of the many goods that early European visitors to New Zealand traded with the native Maori, the musket by far had the greatest impact.  In pre-European times, the intensity of battles between tribes had been limited by the type of weaponry, which necessitated hand-to-hand combat, food supplies, and the process of utu ( revenge).

The arrival of the musket and new food sources in the early 19th century radically undermined this balance of power.  Those tribes able to successfully trade with the Europeans rapidly acquired vast military superiority.  Instead of utu, there was slaughter.

This book, The Musket Wars, by Ron Crosby, describes the battles that took place between 1806 and 1845, giving a gripping, historical account of these dramatic conflicts.  Also of interest is a section on the actual weapons used. It is a fascinating book for all New Zealanders to read, and for anyone interested in the history of war.

Although a softcover book by definition, the cover is actually thick card, somewhere in-between hardcover and softcover.  Published by Reed Publishing Ltd, 2001.  400 pp