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First Encounters

This topic explores the first meetings between Pasifika peoples, Māori and European explorers. The resulting cultural interactions had a profound impact on indigenous societies and also define Aotearoa New Zealand today. SCIS no: 1894561

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First known encounter between Māori and Europeans

Abel Tasman’s Dutch East India Company expedition had the first known European contact with Māori. It did not go well.

Teaching resource: First Collisions

This resource (for Years 5–10) is designed to place the arrival of Cook within a wider context of Pacific navigation as well as placing a larger focus on Tupaia.

Discovery of New Zealand

A 1942 newspaper article that outlines a celebration of the ‘discovery of New Zealand by Abel Tasman.’

The Aotearoa History Show - Episode 3 | Early Encounters

Abel Tasman and James Cook’s first contacts with Māori were complex and sometimes violent.

First contact: Fatal encounter remembered

Dutch officials have met iwi from Golden Bay/Mohua for the first time, to remember Abel Tasman's first New Zealand landfall and heal old wounds.

Cook monument, Ship Cove

Cook monument, Ship Cove

James Cook first brought his vessel, the Endeavour, into this bay in the Marlborough Sounds, known to Māori as Meretoto, in January 1770.

Iron helmet

An iron helmet dated to 1580 and previously thought to be Spanish was found in Wellington Harbour some time before 1904.

Māori reading a bible after contact with European Christian missionaries

Māori reading a bible after contact with European Christian missionaries

Tableau, re-enacting Māori reading a bible after contact with European Christian missionaries.

Captain Cook's chiefly gift

Captain Cook's chiefly gift

This 'ahu 'ula cloak was given to Captain Cook himself. Although it was a chiefly gift, it did not protect him from his fate.

Banks and Solander collection

Banks and Solander collection

Two hundred and fifty years ago a piece of the iconic silver fern travelled to England pressed between pages of a famous novel.

Te Horetā Taniwha

The account of Cook's visit by Te Horetā Taniwha.

Re-enactment of the landing of Captain Cook

Re-enactment of the landing of Captain Cook

This photograph shows a re-enactment of the landing of Captain Cook at Ship Cove in the Marlborough Sounds. Ship Cove s one of Cook’s favourite anchoring sites on all 3 of his expeditions to New Ze...

Cook Memorial

A proposal put forward by the East Coast and Gisborne branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects as a national memorial to Captain Cook.

250th anniversary of Cook's arrival to celebrate dual heritage

250th anniversary of Cook's arrival to celebrate dual heritage

Planning for the 250th anniversary of James Cook's arrival in New Zealand will focus on a meeting of Pakeha and Māori and the shared future of two peoples.

Captain Cook's third voyage and his death.

European ideas about Māori

European ideas about Māori: Explorers and Māori to 1800.

Tupaia

Tahitian chief Tupaia accompanied British explorer James Cook to New Zealand in 1769.

Tupaia's painting of Joseph Banks

Tupaia's painting of Joseph Banks

Joseph Banks bartering with a Māori for a crayfish.

Tolaga Bay

Aerial view of Tolaga Bay, photographed by Whites Aviation, 22 May 1958. Cooks Cove where Captain Cook landed is just over the cliffs, upper left of the photograph.

Mercury Bay

Mercury Bay where Captain Cook landed to observe the Transit of Venus.

Gisborne

Captain Cook first stepped ashore on New Zealand just below the hill (Titirangi ) in the left of this photograph of Gisborne.

Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough Sounds

Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough Sounds

Captain Cook used Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound to rest his crew, stock up with provisions, and refit his ship on all 3 of his voyages.

Māoriland memories

This newspaper article looks at the story behind stamps issued in honour of the 1906 New Zealand International Exhibition. One stamp in particular shows the landing of Captain Cook at Poverty Bay a...

Marion du Fresne arrives in the Bay of Islands

Du Fresne’s was the second French expedition to visit New Zealand, following that of de Surville in 1769.

It turns our tipuna into cardboard caricatures

Buddy Mikaere finds bias and misrepresentation in Tears of Rangi: Experiments Across Worlds, a history of early New Zealand by Anne Salmond.

The adventures of Captain Cook

All aboard, we’re about to take a trip back in time to when Captain Cook sailed into Sydney Harbour and changed the course of Australia’s history!

Pursuit of Venus: Infected by Lisa Reihana

A potent artwork created in response to a formative contact period in the history of the Pacific.

Introducing in Pursuit of Venus a panoramic video by Lisa Reihana that is a moving image interpretation of the French scenic wallpaper Les Sauvages De La Mer Pacifique.

The controversial statue at the Cook Plaza on Kaiti Hill remains a hot topic in Gisborne.

Pursuit of Venus

NZ Visual and Digital Artist Lisa Reihana reinvents 200 year old portrayals of first contact in the Pacific.

Dual name confirmed for Poverty Bay

Poverty Bay as named by Captain Cook will also be called Turanganui-a-Kiwa, or great standing place of Kiwa.

James Cook lands on the Coromandel

After 6 weeks at sea from Tahiti, Cook sighted New Zealand on October 1769. On 3 November 1769, The Endeavour anchored off Cooks Beach in the Coromandel. Cooks intention was to find a good harbour ...

Turanganui River

The foreshore of the Turanganui River is one of the world’s great voyaging sites. It is the landing place of the Horouta canoe, and the place where Captain James Cook first came ashore in New Zealand.

Crook Cook” at Cook’s Plaza on Kaiti Hill Gisborne

A statue of the Māori chief at the time of Captain Cook’s landing would be the best figure to have on top of Titirangi (Kaiti Hill), say Ngati Oneone.

‘Crook Cook’ timeline

Cooks first official landing in Aotearoa didn’t go well. A timeline history of the event told through the story of the “Crook Cook” statue in Gisborne.

Māori bodies in European eyes: Representations of the Māori body on Cook's voyages.

One strange people, and another

Interview with Anne Salmond on the intersections of Māori and European culture, reality, and perspective.

Cook’s arrival in Poverty Bay, Gisborne

An account of Cooks arrival in Poverty Bay in Gisbourne.

Gisborne’s ‘Crook Cook’ – the story behind the statue

The fascinating history of a controversial statue of Captain Cook in Gisborne.

Meretoto / Ship Cove

Meretoto / Ship Cove was Captain James Cook’s favourite New Zealand base during his 3 voyages of exploration.

Stumpy Brown is a Wangkujanka woman. As a teenager, she saw a white man for the first time.

The Rabbits, written by John Marsden, is partly allegorical fable about colonisation, told from the viewpoint of the colonised.

Tukitahua’s Māori map of New Zealand

This map of New Zealand’s 2 main islands is the oldest known map made by a Māori.

Cook landing site

Gisborne was where British navigator James Cook first set foot in New Zealand.

Captain Cook memorial

A newspaper article from 1908 about placing a memorial to Captain Cook in Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound.

Aborigines and Europeans

First encounters between Aborigines and Europeans in Sydney Australia.

How this Tamil bell came to be in New Zealand remains an unsolved mystery.

Dual heritage, shared future: James Cook, Tupaea and the transit of Venus at Tolaga Bay

Uawa Tolaga Bay on the East Coast of the North Island was the place of first positive contact between Māori and European with the visit of HMS Endeavour in October 1769.

A book describing Captain Cook's voyages

A book published in the 1780s describing voyages round the world including “an authentic, entertaining, full, and complete history of Captain Cook's first, second, third, and last voyages.”

Captain Cook’s Journal of the First Voyage

The full-text of Captain Cook’s first voyage Journal including the British discovery of New Zealand.

On 21 November 1769 Cook and a few of his crew explored up the Waihou River, which he named the Thames.

Te Horetā Taniwha

Te Horetā Taniwha

Te Horetā Taniwha had the incredible luck of not only visiting the ship Endeavour on its first voyage but also meeting Captain Cook. This occurred when the Endeavour sailed into at Mercury Bay to o...

Te Puta o te Paretauhinau Pa at Mercury Bay

Te Puta o te Paretauhinau Pa at Mercury Bay

Engraving from the official account of Cook's first voyage, based on a drawing of Te Puta o te Paretauhinau Pa at Mercury Bay, Coromandel Peninsula (not Tolaga Bay as claimed in the title). The dra...

The perforated rock in Tolaga Bay, in New Zealand.

The perforated rock in Tolaga Bay, in New Zealand.

This scene at Opoutama / Cooks Cove near Tolaga bay shows a Māori man in a cloak, holding a long spear — probably a maiere or bird spear, (usually 3 to 4 metres long), and 2 Europeans with another ...

Captain Cook with Māori in the Bay of Islands

Captain Cook with Māori in the Bay of Islands

The title of this painting by Louis Steele is Arrival of Captain Cook; an incident at the Bay of Islands. So what was the incident and what is in Captain Cook’s hand?

They have worries about our refugee status

They have worries about our refugee status

Captain Cook has landed in New Zealand. His interpreter tells him that the Māori who have gathered to meet him have worries about 'our refugee status', in that they have had reports of 'our behavio...

Captain Cook (1728 - 1779)

Captain Cook (1728 - 1779)

Captain James Cook was a British sea captain, navigator and explorer. He spent many years sailing around and mapping the South Pacific. He visited New Zealand three times, the first was in 1769 on...

First encounters (New Zealand)

AnyQuestions can help you find information about the first encounters between Māori and European explorers in New Zealand.

Apology demanded over 'imperial vanguard murderer' Cook

Ahead of celebrations to mark Captain Cook's arrival in New Zealand, a Gisborne iwi is demanding an apology for the atrocities he brought upon their people.

First encounters (New Zealand)

2019 marks 250 years since the first meetings between Māori and Europeans during James Cook and the Endeavour's 1769 voyage from England to Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Tupaia was a man of many talents: high priest, artist, diplomat, politician, orator and celestial navigator.

Why you might sidestep the histories and read the voices of the past

Reading histories is a great start to understanding who we are and how we got here but even more interesting is looking at the material the historians used in writing a history and allowing yoursel...

European discovery of New Zealand

New Zealand had already been discovered by the time any European saw the Pacific or reached the New Zealand coast

Encounters – European voyaging and discovery

Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailed the Pacific Ocean in the 1500s, but there is no firm evidence that Europeans reached New Zealand before 1642.

Where Maori and Pakeha first met

Captain Cook visited Matavai Bay, his favourite anchorage at Tahiti, for the fourth and last time in August 1778, on the Third Voyage. John Webber, the official artist on that voyage, painted a por...

The first landing of Captain Cook

Advertisement for Silver Fern cigarette tobacco.

Captain Cook lands in New Zealand

Here we have the words of Captain James Cook as he describes what happened when European culture met Maori for the first time - with deadly results.

How Captain Cook died

Two hundred years ago a seaman, John Law, who accompanied Captain Cook on his ill-fated voyage to the Sandwich Islands kept a diary of the incidents of the expedition.

Landing places of Captain Cook

Captain J. D. McGomish, of' Sydney writes, in a letter to the Captain Cook Memorial Committee, that the Government may be induced to take a practical interest in providing memorials at the various ...

Toasting the memory of Captain Cook at the British Empire League’s bicentenary luncheon in 1928, Mr L. C. M. S. Amery paid a tribute to Captain Cook’s achievements in exploration and navigation.

Souvenir of Captain Cook’s voyage

Perhaps the only remaining souvenir of Captain James Cook’s historic voyage along the East Coast of New Zealand in 1769 —a green acorn-like bead end—now lies in the Hawke’s Bay Museum, Napier.

European discovery of New Zealand

New Zealand had already been discovered by the time any European saw the Pacific or reached the New Zealand coast

Where Maori and Pakeha first met

The landing of Captain Cook at Anaura Bay (East Coast) was re-enacted in full costume recently.

Tuia 250 Encounters

Official Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage website for Tuia 250.

Encounters - European voyaging and discovery

As the Endeavour travelled down from Tahiti to New Zealand, in August to October 1769, Cook and his crew battled rough seas, and had to cope with poor food and water. Also on board was Tupaia, the ...

Māori stories of arrival recognised

After 250 years, the British High Commissioner to New Zealand has issued a formal expression of regret to the iwi of Tūranganui a Kiwa for the deaths of at least five Māori at the hands of Captain ...

Captain Cook not relevant to me or my people says protest leader

Marise Lant from Gisborne is leading protest action as the replica Endeavour is due to berth in Poverty Bay as part of Tuia 250.

The voyages of Captain James Cook

Explore the stories, art and maps of the artists and scientists who were on board Cook’s three expeditions to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Tū te Whaihanga

An exhibition featuring 37 taonga which includes some of those which left on board the HMS Endeavour, after its first voyage to Aotearoa in October 1769.

War canoes at Tahiti

Watercolours and pencil by Tupaia, 1769.

"We can't sit back and let that be a shallow statement"

After 250 years, the British High Commissioner to New Zealand has issued a formal expression of regret to the iwi of Tūranganui a Kiwa for the deaths of at least five Māori at the hands of Captain ...

250th anniversary of Cook’s arrival to celebrate dual heritage

Planning for the 250th anniversary of James Cook's arrival in New Zealand will focus on the meeting of Pakeha and Maori and the shared future of two peoples says the Gisborne Trust behind the event.

Different perspectives emerge as students research first encounters

Students at a Marlborough school are hearing a different side of their local history that includes first encounters between migrants and Māori and how it was experienced by local Iwi.

Tiwha, Tiwha Te Pō / Dark, Dark is the Night

Animation by New Zealand artist Zak Waipara about Cook’s visit to Tūranga.

Paddles obtained on Cook’s first voyage

These two paddles (hoe) were acquired by the crew of the Endeavour during Cook’s first visit to New Zealand in 1769–1770.

Local historians reshape understanding of past

A community trust in Marlborough is working with local schools and other partners to tell a more balanced story about the first encounters between Māori and non-Māori in the Marlborough Sounds.

The story of Tahitian navigator, Tupaia

Director and Producer Lala Rolls and artist Michel Tuffery talk about the three-part documentary series, Tupaia's Endeavour.

Tuia: 250 re-framing first contact

Historians Dame Anne Salmond and Dr Wayne Ngata talk about re-framing the conversation around first contact to include narratives from many different cultures.

French explorers

The French became interested in the Pacific at about the same time as the English.

Naming Cape Kidnappers / Te Kauwae-a-Māui

On 15 October 1769 Captain James Cook named Te Kauwae-a-Māui Cape Kidnappers, after local Māori tried to take the young boy who accompanied the Tahitian arioi Tupaia.

Te Kura Tuatahi: New Zealand’s First School School Journal Curriculum level: 4; Nov: 2016

Two hundred years ago, Aotearoa New Zealand’s first school opened at Rangihoua.

Gisborne iwi on British ‘collisions’: ‘They started swimming away but Cook started shooting’

Gisborne iwi are setting the record straight on Captain Cook, describing their ancestors' first experience of the British as collisions not encounters.

First Encounters

An essay by Historian Dame Anne Salmond about Pacific exploration and discovery from pre-human times to Cook.

Encounters – Early meetings between peoples

On the evening of 18 December 1642, two waka of Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri people approached two strange ships, which had anchored near the north-western tip of the South Island.

A bird of great size

At the first sight of the Endeavour Māori were amazed and afraid, describing the vessel with its yards of flying canvas as a “bird of great size and beauty” and “a houseful of divinities.”

First Encounters (New Zealand)

This page from Many Answers will guide you to reviewed websites and databases about first encounters Aotearoa New Zealand.

Tupaia: Master Navigator School Journal Curriculum level: 3; August: 2019

The story of Tupaia, a navigator and high priest from the island of Rā‘iātea who travelled to Aotearoa New Zealand with Captain Cook on the Endeavour.

A Hoe! School Journal Curriculum level: 2; June: 2018

The first peaceful meetings between Māori and Europeans took place in 1769, when James Cook landed in the Tairāwhiti region.

Captain Cook: Charting Our Islands School Journal Curriculum level: 4; May: 2016

This article describes Captain Cook’s first visit to Aotearoa New Zealand where he charted the coastline.

Tuia Mātauranga mobile app

Free Tuia Mātauranga mobile app which you can use for the virtual and augmented reality experiences both at the roadshow, and in your take away activity booklet. It’s free and works for iPhone 6s a...

Māori bartering with Joseph Banks (TMCC3)

View (or print) the curiosity card about Tupaia's 1769 painting of a Māori and Joseph Banks bartering. Use the card’s fertile questions to inspire inquiry.

First Encounters (New Zealand)

This page from Many Answers will guide you to reviewed websites and databases about first encounters Aotearoa New Zealand.

Te Horetā’s nail (CC0002)

View (or print) this curiosity card about Te Horeta's nail. Use the card’s fertile questions to inspire inquiry.

Te taki, School Journal Reading level: Year 6; Part: 4; No: 3, 2009

A story about Tutama, who steps forward to challenge the visitors from the large European ship that has sailed into the bay.

Tuki’s map, School Journal Reading level: Year 4; Part: 3; No: 3, 1991

The first map of New Zealand was drawn in 1793 by Tuki, a Māori kidnapped and taken to Norfolk Island to teach the convicts how to work flax.

Te Horeta’s nail, School Journal Reading level: Year 4; Part: 2; No: 1, 1997

Te Horeta was about twelve when the Endeavour sailed into Mercury Bay in November 1769.

First Encounters Artwork

First Encounters Artwork

A set of paintings, drawings, engravings and stamps relating to first encounters between Māori and Europeans in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Find more information about the first encounters between Polynesian cultures (particularly Māori and Europeans on EPIC. Databases recommended: Australia New Zealand Reference Centre Plus, New Zeala...

Captain Cook Society

This website is about the voyages of Captain Cook and the people who went with him.

Anchor

One of three anchors abandoned by French navigatior François Marie de Surville when his ship, the St Jean Baptiste, was caught in a storm off Tokerau in Doubtless Bay.

First contact of Aboriginal Australians with British colonisers

First contact between Aboriginal Australians with British colonisers in 1788 quickly escalated into conflict and dispossession of land.

The death of Captain Cook

The death of Captain Cook

Tupaia's chart

Captain Cook’s navigational instruments

Artefacts illustrating explorer Captain James Cook’s great skill as a navigator are part of the National Museum Australia collection.

Charting Aotearoa

Follow the journey of the HMB Endeavour around Aotearoa New Zealand in 1769, as James Cook charts the coastline.

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