Tuia – Encounters 250 commemorates the 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Māori and Pākehā in 1769–70. It also celebrates the voyaging heritage of Pacific people that led to the settlement of Aotearoa New Zealand many generations before. Learn more about these aspects of New Zealand history, as well as access educational resources for teachers and parents.
The Tuia – Encounters 250 national commemoration celebrates Aotearoa New Zealand’s Pacific voyaging heritage and acknowledges the first onshore encounters between Māori and Pākehā in 1769–70. There are events happening now in regions right around the country. There are opportunities to join the journey by going on board the vessels at the landing sites. Crews are offering family-friendly opportunities to learn about Pacific, Māori and European sailing and navigation traditions through interactive activities, displays, star domes, guest speakers, roadshow trucks and more.
Cast your gaze to Te Moananui a Kiwa – the mighty Pacific Ocean – from the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand this October to December, and you’ll be treated to the sight of the Tuia 250 Voyage – a journey of national significance. Crews on two waka hourua from Aotearoa, three tall ships including the Endeavour replica from Australia, and the va’a tipaerua Fa’afaite from Tahiti are sailing to and engaging with 14 communities. The Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla lands at sites of historic and cultural significance giving a platform to communities, iwi and hapū to share their stories of arrival and their encounters with Tupaia, James Cook and the Endeavour crew.
Tuia 250 is excited to announce the six core vessels in our flotilla that will sail around Aotearoa, New Zealand from October – December 2019. Vessels include the Fa’afaite, Haunui, Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, HMB Endeavour, Spirit of New Zealand, and R Tucker Thompson.
A major new initiative aimed at commemorating Captain James Cook’s arrival in Australia and marking the impact on Australia’s Indigenous peoples has been launched on Thursday. Through a series of exhibitions around the country, educational projects and outreach events, the program, Encounter 2020, will commemorate the 250th anniversary since Captain Cook arrived in Botany Bay and went on to chart the east coast of Australia. Central to it will be the lasting impact it had on Australia’s First Peoples and in shaping the country’s future.
The logs of James Cook as he charted the east coast of Australia in 1770 gave the perspective from the deck of the H.M.S Endeavour looking to shore. Now for the first time, the view of his ship and men from the shore, including some Aboriginal people yelling at them to go away, will be given equal weight during activities in 2020 to mark 250 years since Cook’s voyage.