First encounters and early colonial history of Aotearoa New Zealand

First encounters

These curiosity cards use images and fertile questions to spark student inquiry:

• Māori bartering with Joseph Banks (CC0001)

• Matau rino (TMCC5)

• Silver fern (TMCC8)

• Te Horeta's nail (CC0002)

• Tuki te Terenui Whare Pirau's map (CC0006).

This topic from Topic Explorer has quality, curated resources, including websites, images, videos, books and more:

• First encounters.

Explore these pages from Tuia Mātauranga to highlight people, places and events that have helped shape our nation:

• Kaihōpara tauiwi | Non-Māori explorers

• Ngā tūtakitanga tuatahi | First encounters

• Curated resources about first encounters.

These entries from Many Answers guide students to reliable and trustworthy resources:

• Captain Cook (1728–1779) — senior primary

• First encounters (New Zealand) — senior primary.

Use the following He Tohu video and activities to explore the histories of land, cultural interactions in the 1800s and place names in Aotearoa:

• He whenua rangatira — a Māori land (YouTube video, 4:10)

• Cultural interactions in 1800s NZ

• Aotearoa New Zealand place names.

Te Kupenga online has stories with images from the Alexander Turnbull Library and related resources to inspire student learning:

• Stories of Aotearoa New Zealand: 1800–1850.

Some popular books related to this topic include:

• Abel Tasman: Mapping the Southern Lands by Maria Gill, 2017

• Cook’s Cook: The Cook Who Cooked for Captain Cook by Gavin Bishop, 2018

• Explore! Aotearoa by Bronwen Wall, 2017

• Face to Face: Two Cultures Meet in Aotearoa by Terri Kessell, 2009

• Horeta and the Waka by Gordon Campbell, 2007

• Tangata Whenua — Face to Face: Two Cultures Meet in Aotearoa by Terri Kessell, 2009

• Te Pakiwaitara O Cape Kidnappers / The Story of Cape Kidnappers re-told by Patrick Sherratt with Te Mata Kindergarten, 2013

• The Adventures of Tupaia by Meredith, Courtney Sina and Mat Tait, 2019

• The Coming of the Pākehā by John Lockyer, 2008.

Borrow books from our lending service

Early colonial history

This curiosity card uses an image and fertile questions to spark student inquiry:

• Burning the forest (CC0004).

These topics from Topic Explorer have quality, curated resources, including websites, images, videos, books and more:

• Colonial life in Aotearoa NZ

• Māori history post-European arrival.

These entries from Many Answers guide students to reliable and trustworthy resources:

• Early settlers (New Zealand) — junior secondary

• Māori history — junior secondary.

Use the following He Tohu activities to explore cultural interactions in the 1800s and place names in Aotearoa:

• Cultural interactions in 1800s NZ

• New Zealand place names.

Te Kupenga online has stories with images from the Alexander Turnbull Library and related resources to inspire student learning:

• Stories of Aotearoa NZ: 1800–1850.

Some popular books related to this topic include:

• Beyond the Imperial Frontier: The Contest for Colonial New Zealand by Vincent O’Malley, 2014

• Explore! Aotearoa by Bronwen Wall, 2017

• Face to Face: Two Cultures Meet in Aotearoa by Terri Kessell, 2009

• Pākehā Settlements in a Māori World: New Zealand Archaeology 1769–1860 by Ian Smith, 2019

• Tangata Whenua — Face to Face: Two Cultures Meet in Aotearoa by Terri Kessell, 2009

• The Coming of the Pākehā by John Lockyer, 2008

• The House That Jack Built by Gavin Bishop, 2012.

Borrow books from our lending service

Other resources and tools

Teaching and learning resources — free online teaching and learning resources, tools and guides.

Tools for primary source analysis — designed for ākonga (students) from years 1 to 13 in Aotearoa NZ schools.