'View in Queen Charlotte's Sound, New Zealand.' Oil painting from a sketch made by John Webber during James Cook's third voyage, published in 1808.
Reproduced courtesy Alexander Turnbull Library, reference number B-098-015.
THURSDAY marks 247 years since Lieutenant James Cook and his crew on the Endeavour first landed in New Zealand on Gisborne’s shore, and events are planned for this weekend to commemorate the occasion.
There will be an early start at 7am on Saturday, with a prayer service by the Tairawhiti
Interfaith Group at Waikanae Beach, followed by the Turanganui Waka Hoe Challenge by Horouta Waka Hoe, starting at The Cut.
The regatta path is made up of points visited and paddled by tipuna of the region. At 1.15pm on Saturday an arts forum will take place at the Lawson Field Theatre Rose Room. A regatta prizegiving will take place at the same location at 3pm.
On Sunday the MV Takitimu will depart from the inner harbour at 1.45pm for a special heritage sailing. There will be story-tellers on board to tell passengers about the history of the region and give an insight into the events surrounding the first meetings between tangata whenua and Europeans.
Later this month, on October 29, an art exhibition by 12 students from Gisborne Intermediate and Tolaga Bay Area School will take place. The students created art reflecting the first meetings at the Jarratt Create and Educate workshop, after a historic tour of the region. The location and time will be confirmed.
