These badges are were worn by members of the New Zealand Native Contingent in the First World War. The Native Contingent left New Zealand in February 1915 and saw action during the Gallipoli Campaign, where 50 Māori lost their lives. In 1916 the Māori troops were reorganised into a Pioneer Battalion, which served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war.
The crest of the Native Contingent includes two traditional Māori weapons, the taiaha and tewhatewha, crossed through a crown. The motto 'Te Hokowhitu a Tu' signified the 140 warriors of the war god, Tumatauenga.
More information about Māori involvement in the First World War can be found on the NZHistory.govt.nz website.
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