Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
city on Earth to see the sun. It's a good place to put your feet up for a few days, hit the
beach and sip some wine.
History
The Gisborne region has been settled for over 700 years. A pact between two migratory
waka
(canoe) skippers, Paoa of the
Horouta
and Kiwa of the
Takitimu,
led to the founding
of Turanganui a Kiwa (now Gisborne). Kumara flourished in the fertile soil and the settle-
ment blossomed.
In 1769 this was the first part of NZ sighted by Cook's expedition. Eager to replenish
supplies and explore, they set ashore, much to the amazement of the locals. Setting an un-
fortunate benchmark for intercultural relations, the crew opened fire when the Maori men
performed their traditional blood-curdling challenge, killing six of them.
The
Endeavour
set sail without provisions. Cook, perhaps in a fit of petulance, named
the area Poverty Bay as 'it did not afford a single item we wanted'.
European settlement began in 1831 with whaling and farming, with missionaries fol-
lowing. In the 1860s battles between settlers and Maori erupted. Beginning in Taranaki,
the Hauhau insurrection spread to the East Coast, culminating in the battle of Waerenga a
Hika in 1865.
To discover Gisborne's historical spots, pick up the
Historic Walk
pamphlet from the i-
SITE.
