250 years after James Cook landed on Aotearoa New Zealand, the replica ship HMB Endeavour, joined by a flotilla of waka hourua, va'a tipaerua and tall ships docked in Gisborne yesterday.
The vessels rounded Tuamotu Island at 6.15am and sailed toward Te Kuri a Paoa (Young Nick's Head) under the first golden rays of sun: thousands of people lined the city beachfront by 8am to watch the historic event.
![This year marks 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Māori and Europeans. Photo / Getty Images](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/P3ZHOQVLJ3323JVMFTO7IJPNHU.jpg?auth=087b53523c197209803483b36d3e80fa912706c66ec6d226dc46c5e3d483cb37&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
Protest Action Turanganui-a-Kiwa were out in force to highlight the impacts of colonisation on Māori, the Endeavour seen as a symbol of European invasion.
Dame Patsy Reddy and Tuia 250 co-chairman Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr spoke at a civic welcome ceremony highlighting the voyaging heritage of Pacific people that led to the settlement of our nation.