‘Racism is rampant’: Alien Weaponry, the metal band standing up for Māori culture

The New Zealand trio have gone global thanks to their forthright Mori-language songs, which confront colonial history and ongoing inequality

New Zealand was a war zone in the mid-1800s. On one side were the British and the colonial government, craving a stranglehold on more of the country's land. On the other were the indigenous Mori people, fighting to preserve tino rangatiratanga: their sovereignty and self-determination.

On 29 April 1864, the British invaded Pukehinahina, also known as Gate P. Despite being grossly outnumbered, the Mori fended off the attackers using concealed trenches and guerrilla tactics. It was a fleeting victory in a war that, ultimately, led to the confiscation of 3m acres of Mori land.