On 5 November Wellington Quakers held a Parihaka Commemoration

For the second year Wellington Quakers held a silent vigil on 5th November to remember and honour the passive resistance to colonial oppression taken by the people of Parihaka. We gathered at the Parihaka Memorial from 5pm to 6pm and were delighted to be joined by a group of young people, making for a total of 31 people. The 5th of November in 1881 was the day Government troops led by Native Minister John Bryce invaded the pacifist settlement, arrested the leaders, destroyed much of the village and then dispersed most of its inhabitants. Some of those taken prisoner were held in Wellington for some time on route to Dunedin where they were imprisoned, and many died. We plan to make this an annual commemoration and hope we will be joined by others.