The Boulder and the Bugler: The Battle of Boulcott's Farm in Public Memory

Abstract

The Battle of Boulcott’s Farm, in which a Māori war party attacked the garrison of a British military outpost in the Hutt Valley, took place over several hours on 16 May 1846. Since then, the public memory of this relatively minor incident has been remarkably persistent. The story of the battle has been told in poetry and prose; in print, on stage and on screen; and in memorials and museums. As the story has evolved over time, it has focused on different themes: British military heroism; civic progress; and Māori resistance to colonial injustice.