A New Age Myth: the Kaimanawa Wall

In the 4 May 1996 issue of the NZ Listener, an article titled “Megalith Mystery: Are giant stones in the Kaimanawa Forest Park evidence of an ancient New Zealand culture?” (Chapple 1996:28-29) appeared. It centred on Barry Brailsford’s contention that the “Kaimanawa wall” was “the best (physical) evidence so far” of the pre-Maori “Waitaha nation” which he alleges flourished in New Zealand over 2,000 years ago. Shortly thereafter I was telephoned by Jim Mora of TV1 and asked to give a “traditional archaeological perspective” on the matter as part of an item on the Holmes Show arising from Brailsford’s contentions about the “wall”.

Continue reading