'Breach at Gate Pä, April 30, 1864'

Pukehinahina or Gate Pä is a good example of what was known as the modern pä, a fortification built to resist modern weaponry that included muskets and artillery. The modern pä first came to prominence during the Northern War against the British in 1845-46. Associated with the Ngä Puhi chief Kawiti, the modern pä afforded maximum protection for the inhabitants by incorporating:
- firing and communication trenches that offered maximum protection while allowing rapid movement within the pä
- anti-artillery bunkers, or rua, set into the ground and covered with logs, stones and matted flax that allowed warriors to remain safe during periods of bombardment
- two palisades consisting of a strengthened inner fence of heavy logs and a lighter fence or pekerangi 1 m outside the inner palisade. The pekerangi had flax matting hung over it, making it virtually musket-proof while giving the impression of a flimsy palisade, which often lured the attacker into a false sense of security.