Recently querying why New Zealand governments make annual January pilgrimages to the Maori Pa at Ratana, to celebrate the birth of its founder, I received some interesting information, in response to these facts.

In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, Maori solders joined the 28th Maori Battalion. With most Maoris solidly behind their people, this fighting group achieved an outstanding reputation on the battlefields of Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy.