The Flagstaff War was a series of confrontations between Māori and British settlers in New Zealand, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction among Māori regarding the British interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty, signed in 1840, was intended to ensure Māori sovereignty while granting the British settlers rights to govern and control land. However, discrepancies arose over its translations and meanings. On November 3rd, 1845, in a symbolic act of resistance, Hōne Heke and Kawiti, influential Māori chiefs, ordered the British flagpole in Kororāreka to be chopped down for the fourth time. This event served as a powerful statement against British authority and control. The action was not just a simple act of defiance but represented deeper frustrations regarding the loss of traditional land and authority that Māori were experiencing in the face of rapid European colonization.

Following the cutting down of the pole, tensions in the region escalated. Many settlers felt threatened, leading to a mass exodus from Kororāreka, which had been a vital hub for trade and exchange. The conflict between the Māori and the settlers was not merely about the flagpole but encapsulated the broader struggle over land rights and cultural autonomy. This incident intensified the friction between the British Crown and the Māori leaders, culminating in armed conflict and the eventual Flagstaff War, which lasted until 1846. The actions of Hōne Heke and his followers were pivotal in mobilizing further resistance among the Māori against British encroachment.