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NZ Tours Tauranga, 42 Oceanview, Mount Maunganui (2025)

23/12/2024

On this day in 1642, the first encounter occurs between Europeans and Māori in Aotearoa. Dutchman Abel Tasman had anchored in Mohua/Golden Bay on the north western edge of Te Wai Pounamu with a plan to go ashore and restock his supplies of wood, water and fresh food. Before he could do this though, local iwi Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri came out in waka to investigate.
The Dutch held up white linen and other items to show what they had to trade, the Māori yelled back but neither side understood the other. In the end, the Māori blew a pūtātara, a trumpet made of a large seashell, with the Dutch responding with their own trumpets, much to the confusion of Māori who ultimately headed back to their pā without incident.
The encounter wasn't too exciting in the grand scheme of things, that would be left for tomorrow when the Dutch made a grevious error leaving one of their rowboats exposed, allowing Ngāti Tūmatakōriri toa to ram their waka into it and kill four sailors, resulting in Tasman fleeing the bay and the country altogether. You can see a depiction of this attack in the drawing above, usually attributed the Merchant on one of Tasman's ships, Isaac Gilesmans.
Although this incident wouldn't be the sole reason, once Tasman and his men left Aotearoa, Europe wouldn't return for over 100 years. In fact, it would be 127 years to the day that Frenchman Jean de Surville would have his first significant interactions with Ngāti Kahu in Doubtless Bay.
If you would like to hear about either of these, you can check out episodes 133-134 for Tasman and episode 146 for de Surville!

23/12/2024

When did Māori first arrive in New Zealand?
New Zealand is a young country in terms of its human history.
New Zealand was the last large and livable place in the world to be discovered.
Their traditional history describes their origins in terms of waves of migration that culminated in the arrival of a “great fleet” in the 14th century from Hawaiki, a mythical land usually identified as Tahiti.
The Tahitians are the Indigenous Polynesian people of Tahiti and thirteen other Society Islands in French Polynesia.
For much of the first half of the 20th century it was believed that a pre-Māori people called Moriori inhabited New Zealand. Today Moriori are regarded as descendants, like Māori, of the original Polynesian settlers who arrived in about the 13th century. The scholar Edward Tregear published this book, The Maori race, in 1904. He kept an open mind on the possibility that there were people in New Zealand prior to Māori. He also argued that the Moriori of the Chatham Islands were Polynesians who had some connection with the South Island.
This historical account provides the basis for traditional Māori social organization and is generally supported by archaeological discoveries, which have dated Māori arrival in New Zealand to about 1300 ce.
Members of each tribe (iwi) recognized a common ancestry (which might be traced through either or both parents) and common allegiance to a chief or chiefs (ariki). Traditionally, at the day-to-day level, the most important social groups were the hapū (subtribe), which was the primary landholding group and the one within which marriage was preferred, and the whānau, or extended family.
This social order was in force when Abel Tasman, the first European contact, arrived off the coast of New Zealand in December 1642. He did battle with a group of Māori on South Island and left the area largely unexplored. In 1769–70 Capt. James Cook circumnavigated the two major islands and wrote about the intelligence of the Māori and the suitability of New Zealand for colonization. Whalers, sealers, and other Europeans seeking profit were initially welcomed by the Māori. With the introduction of muskets, disease, Western agricultural methods, and missionaries, however, Māori culture and social structure began to disintegrate. By the late 1830s New Zealand had been joined to Europe, and European settlers landed by the score.
Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia, New Zeland Immigration and 100% New Zeland
Picture: Tūkāaroto Matutaera Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Tāwhiao, the second Māori king (1860–94).

07/12/2024

17 interesting facts you may not know about New Zealand:
1. New Zealand is an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, consisting of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, along with over 700 smaller islands.
2. The country is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, including majestic mountains, rolling hills, vast plains, and beautiful beaches. Many scenes from "The Lord of the Rings" were filmed here due to its diverse terrain.
3. New Zealand is one of the few countries where you can experience all four seasons in one day, especially in regions like the South Island.
4. The indigenous Māori people are an essential part of New Zealand's cultural identity. The Māori language, te reo Māori, is an official language of the country alongside English.
5. The country is known for its outdoor activities, including hiking, bungee jumping, skiing, and surfing. The adventurous spirit of the country is a large part of its charm.
6. New Zealand has no native land mammals, except for bats. The country’s wildlife is primarily bird-based, with unique species like the kiwi, which is also the symbol of the country.
7. The kiwi bird is not only a symbol of New Zealand’s wildlife but also a nickname for New Zealanders themselves, who are often referred to as “Kiwis.”
8. New Zealand is a significant wine producer, particularly known for its Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region, which is considered one of the best in the world.
9. The country’s population is relatively small, with around 5 million people, but it has a strong presence in international sports, including rugby, cricket, and netball.
10. New Zealand is a global leader in environmental conservation, with a strong focus on preserving its unique ecosystems and wildlife.
11. It is one of the best places in the world to observe the Southern Hemisphere’s stars, with clear skies and minimal light pollution, especially in the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve.
12. New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world to grant women the right to vote in 1893.
13. The country has a diverse culinary scene, with influences from Māori, European, and Asian cultures. Traditional foods include Hangi (a feast cooked in an earth oven) and Pavlova, a meringue-based dessert.
14. The country’s education system is well-regarded, with New Zealand’s universities consistently ranked among the top institutions globally.
15. New Zealand has a strong commitment to sustainability, with many initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources.
16. The first-ever commercial bungee jump took place in 1988 from the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, which has since become a major tourist attraction.
17. New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, is one of the most successful in the world, known for their dominance in international rugby competitions and their pre-game haka, a traditional Māori war dance.

24/10/2024

Kurī – Polynesian dogs. Aotearoa New Zealand.
What is the kurī?
Kurī were Polynesian dogs which gradually died out in Aotearoa New Zealand. They were descended from the dogs brought to Aotearoa New Zealand from Polynesia, on the ancestral canoes of the Māori people in the 13th century. Kurī became bigger and more active than dogs on other Polynesian islands. Their average weight was between 13 and 15 kilograms.
Bushy-tailed, strong shouldered and stumpy legged, the extinct kurehe/kurī is rarely found in museum collections.
Appearance.
Kurī were small, long-haired dogs about the size of a border collie. They had a small head, pricked ears, a terrier-like snout and a powerful jaw. The shoulders and neck were heavy, the legs were short, and the tail was bushy.
Some were black, some white, and others a combination with patches or spots. Some had yellow coats.
Other names.
The kurī was also known as gurī by Māori in the South Island. Another name, pero, made some believe that kurī had been introduced by Spanish settlers, as perro is Spanish for dog. ‘Kararehe’ was later used by Māori to refer to any four-legged animal.
The term ‘Māori dog’ probably arose from ‘kurī māori’. But this actually means ‘[any] ordinary dog’.
Food source.
Wherever Polynesian explorers travelled they would take dogs, pigs, chickens and rats. All except the kiore (Pacific rat) were domesticated, and they were all eaten. However, only kurī and kiore arrived in New Zealand. With no pigs – a source of protein in Polynesia – kurī became an important substitute.
In early Māori settlements, kurī probably had greater access to food, including moa and seals, than at later times. They were probably also more plentiful in the early days, which would explain why such a high percentage of dogs slaughtered for food were young. Their meat would have been tastier, and there would have been less need to retain breeding stock. During the later settlement period, kurī were fed mainly on fish, and slaughtered dogs were more likely to be adults.
When did kurī die out?
It is unclear when kurī died out. Although scientists travelling with James Cook saw the dogs throughout New Zealand (on voyages between 1769 and 1779), they probably became rare through cross-breeding with introduced dogs, and then disappeared altogether.
Traditional accounts of kurī.
Irawaru.
Irawaru is the guardian deity of kurī. He was the brother-in-law of Māui, the demigod. Māui was angered at his laziness, so while Irawaru was snoring, Māui pulled his ears, nose and spine into the form of a dog. When Māui’s two wives, Hinetūrepo and Hinetekahere, asked after their brother, he told them to call ‘Moi!’ – the call for a kurī. When they did, Irawaru came running.
Arrival of the kurī.
Many accounts speak of the kurī in Hawaiki, the homeland of Māori ancestors, and its arrival in New Zealand. Their presence suggests that early Polynesian settlers did not lack food on their voyages, otherwise they would have eaten the dogs before reaching New Zealand.
Conflict in Hawaiki.
One tradition tells of a Hawaiki chief, Houmaitawhiti, who had a dog named Pōtaka Tawhiti. A rival chief, Uenuku, ate the dog. Tamatekapua, Houmaitawhiti’s son, discovered this when the dog’s spirit howled from inside Uenuku’s stomach. The incident sparked the skirmishes that led to Tamatekapua making the long voyage to New Zealand in the Te Arawa canoe.
Kurī and voyaging canoes.
The explorer Kupe, often credited with discovering New Zealand, brought kurī with him on his canoe Matawhaorua. It is said that he left one dog waiting so long in Hokianga Harbour that it turned to stone.
Turi, captain of the Aotea canoe, gifted a kahu kurī (dogskin cloak) to his wife in exchange for the canoe, a gift from his father-in-law. When Turi stopped at Rangitāhua (the Kermadecs) on the way to New Zealand, two kurī were sacrificed to the god Maru.
The Tokomaru canoe, captained by Manaia, had a dog that jumped overboard as they neared New Zealand. The canoe was guided to land during the night by the dog’s noise.
Te Kurī-a-Pāoa (now Young Nick’s Head) was named by Pāoa, captain of the Horouta canoe, after his lost kurī.
Supernatural kurī.
The importance of kurī is illustrated by traditions in which a supernatural being takes the form of a dog.
Moekahu is a female god in the shape of a kurī. Like the wairua (spirits) of deceased people, dogs that had died were believed to go to Te Rēinga at the top of the North Island, but travelled a different path from that of humans.
A kurī named Mohorangi was said to inhabit Whangaōkena Island (off East Cape). A young woman named Pōnuiawahine saw Mohorangi and was changed into a rock. This stands today in the sea off the island.
Two stone kurī were believed to haunt Lake Taupō. It was said that if strangers in canoes heard their noise and mistakenly made the usual call to a kurī, ‘Moi! Moi!’, a storm would arise and they would drown.
Giant kurī.
Kōpūwai, in the South Island, was a giant that had the head of a dog, with a pack of 10 two-headed dogs. In Waikaremoana, a terrifying kurī named Te Kurī-nui-a-Meko attacked some locals who had been hunting for fowl. They captured it in a large cage, and speared it to death.
Uses of kurī.
A valued resource.
Kurī flesh was considered a delicacy. A number of places were named for feasts where dog meat was on the menu. Hikawera, in Hawke’s Bay, a chief at Waiohiki, ordered 70 dogs to be slaughtered to feed travellers. The scraps were thrown in the river – hence its name, Tūtaekurī, meaning dog offal. The place where the animals were cooked on this occasion was called Te Umukurī (kurī oven).
In the South Island, kurī were said to have been castrated to fatten them more quickly for eating.
Cloaks and jewellery.
Dog skins were used to make kahu kurī (cloaks), and a garment to ward off weapons. This was known as ‘he tāpahu o Irawaru’ (the protective cloak of Irawaru, god of dogs). The dog’s long, bushy tail was shaved for its hair, from which circlets for mourners were made, or to adorn weapons. Its bones were made into awls, pendants and necklaces, while the jaw and teeth were used for fish hooks. The teeth were also used as ear pendants.
Hunting birds.
Traditional accounts describe kurī being used for hunting. Tūrongo, a Tainui chief, left his dog with his wife Mahinaarangi, from the East Coast, to guide her and catch game when she journeyed to his home. Tara, son of the explorer Whātonga, had a kurī that was also a renowned hunter.
In the 1800s, kurī were used for catching kiwi, kakapō, weka, pūkeko and māunu (moulting ducks). The fowler would often lure a kiwi by imitating its cry. As it came close, the fowler would release the dog, which he led on a rope, or give it enough slack to catch the bird. The Ngāi Tahu scholar Teone (Hōne) Taare Tīkao described how kurī were used to catch pūkeko, which are not good flyers. To flush out the birds, the people would beat the swamp during a strong north-west wind, and the birds would tire of flying against the wind. At this point, the dogs would catch them.
Wild kurī.
Some traditional accounts refer to wild kurī. At Waitomo there is a cave named Ruakurī (dogs’ den). Attacked there by wild kurī, a fowler and his companions organised large snares near the cave to capture them.
Wild or pestering dogs were also trapped in a tāwhiti (spring trap). The place name Tāwhitikurī (found throughout the country) indicates sites where this happened. A South Island custom was to tether a female dog that was in heat, and capture the wild dogs that were drawn to her.
In post-European times, feral packs of kurī–European dog cross-breeds were shot on sight and gradually exterminated.
Ritual.
Kurī were sacrificed on ceremonial occasions. Tohunga (priests) would sacrifice a dog to appease Tūmatauenga, the god of war, or other gods. Dogs were also used as a tapu food for tohunga (priests). In the 1830s at Mangakāhia, when a high-born woman was to get a moko (chin tattoo), one of the last kurī in the district was killed as tapu food for the tattooer.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/kuri-polynesian-dogs/page-1
DNA.
https://www.archaeology.wiki/.../otago-researchers.../
Kahu Kuri.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8DXjad5ue8

17/10/2024

Mauao maunga. Mount Maunganui, Tauranga.
Ngāti Ranginui, one of the three Tauranga tribes, is named after Ranginui, the great grandson of Tamatea-arikinui, captain of the Tākitimu canoe. Tamatea gave the name of Mt Maunganui to this mountain, originally named Mauao, at the entrance to Tauranga Harbour.
Mauao is a remnant of a large lava dome formed by the upwelling of rhyolite lava about 2-3 million years ago.
There were at least three defended pa sites and numerous terraces, pits and middens have been recorded by present day archaeological exploration. Ranginui and Kinonui of the Takitimu waka established a pa on Mauao, as did the Waitaha people. They occupied Mauao for centuries, later Ngai Te Rangi and Ngati Pukenga settled in the area, forming strong marital relationships.
The southern side of Mauao was the favoured area of occupation. The gentle slopes offered suitable soil for cultivation as well as free draining areas, easily terraced for occupation and crop storage. Fresh water was obtainable from several springs and the beaches of Waikorire offered launching and beaching areas for waka as well as ready access to the large shellfish beds in the harbour. Taro still grows in a spring gully (Te Puna Waitapu) immediately above the southern end of the motor camp and may represent a remnant pre-European Maori crop.
The hazards of living below rock outcrops on Mauao are told in a story about Tamapahore following the battle of Kokowai. He is said to have selected a place to settle within Maunganui Pa, however, the other Ngai Te Rangi rolled great stones down the hill to his location; he took the hint and made a pa elsewhere at Maungatapu.
The summit pa of Mauao was one of the most strategically important locations in the Tauranga district with commanding views along much of the Bay of Plenty coast and inland to the volcanic plateau. An early description states ... "the pa of Maunganui covered about 100 acres. The fortifications crossed the top of the hill and ran down each side, then, circling round the base to the south, they met. The fortifications were so strong and the garrison so numerous that the pa seemed impregnable to Maori weapons."
1820 saw the end of Mauao as a stronghold. In that year Ngapuhi under the leadership of Te Morenga attacked the Ngai Te Rangi pa as revenge for the killing of Te Morenga’s niece, Tawaputa, in 1806. Te Morenga is reported to have had a total of between 600–800 men and just 35 muskets. But 35 muskets constituted an unstoppable force when those attacked had none, or very few. Over 400 men were killed in this battle and a further 260 taken north as prisoners.
Ko Mauao te Maunga - Legend of Mauao.
Mauao is the sacred tūpuna maunga of the four iwi of Tauranga Moana - Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāti Ranginui - and the iwi Waitaha.
The most famous legend for this region refers to the story of how Mauao got its name.
There was once a hill with no name who lived on the edge of the Hautere forest. This nameless one was a pononga (slave) to the great chiefly mountain, Otanewainuku. To the southwest was the shapely form of Puwhenua, a beautiful hill, clothed in all the fine greens of the ferns and shrubs and trees of the forest of Tane. The nameless one was desperately in love with Puwhenua, however her heart already belonged to Otanewainuku. There seemed like no hope for the lowly slave. In despair the nameless one decided to end it all by drowning himself in the ocean, Te Moananui a Kiwa. Calling on the patupaiarehe, the people with magical powers who dwelled in the forests of Hautere, pononga asked them to plait the ropes with their magic and then haul him down towards the ocean. Chanting their song they began to haul the nameless one slowly towards the water, gouging out the valley where the river Waimapu now flows. They followed the channel past Hairini, past Maungatapu and Matapihi and finally past Te Papa to the water's edge. By this time it was very close to daybreak. The sun rose fixing the nameless one to that place. Being people of the night the patupaiarehe fled back to the shady depths of the Hautere forests, before the light of the sun descended upon them. The patupaiarehe gave the name Mauao to this mountain which marks the entrance of Tauranga Moana. This means 'caught by the morning sun'. In time, he has assumed greater mana than his rival Otanewainuku. Today he is known by most as Mount Maunganui, however to the Maori people he is still referred to as Mauao.
Pāpaki tū ana ngā tai ki Mauao
I whakanukunukuhia,
I whakanekenekehia,
I whiua reretia e Hotu a Wahinerua ki te wai, ki tai
wīwī, ki tai wāwā,
Ki te whai ao, ki te ao mārama,
Tīhei mauriora.
The waves beat continuously
against the rocky cliffs of Mauao,
They tried to shift the canoe forward and aft Wahinerua was thrown overboard there by Hotu, into the swirling waters, the roaring ocean and emerge into the world of light I breathe, ’tis life!
It is also a significant and iconic landmark for the Tauranga Moana community. Title to the Mauao Historic Reserve is vested in the trustees of the Mauao Trust. The Mauao Trust and Tauranga City Council have established a joint management arrangement for Mauao. Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao is the joint body that leads the management of Mauao.
Mauao - the archeological perspective.
The archaeological landscape within the Mauao Historic Reserve is of local, national and international significance. It represents the physical remains of approximately 600 years of human occupation. The archaeological / cultural landscape constitutes the reserve’s most important and non-renewable resource and is the reason for the reserve’s ‘Historic’ status.
The archaeological features on Mauao have considerable cultural significance to iwi of Tauranga Moana.
https://www.taongatauranga.net/mauao---the-legend.html

https://taurangahistorical.blogspot.com/2019/08/pre-europen-mauao.html

05/10/2024

Interesting facts about Tauranga City in New Zealand
1. Tauranga was settled by Māori late in the 13th century.
2. The city's name is a Māori word meaning "resting place" or "safe anchorage".
3. European colonization began in the early 19th century.
4. An Anglican mission station was established in Tauranga in the 1830s.
5. The Elms complex, established in the 1830s, contains the oldest surviving buildings in the Bay of Plenty.
6. Tauranga was the site of the Battle of Gate Pā during the Waikato Wars, which inflicted the largest loss of life for British forces in the wars of the period.
7. The city was officially constituted in 1963.
8. Tauranga is the largest city in the Bay of Plenty region.
9. It is the fifth-most populous city in New Zealand, with an urban population of 161,800 as of June 2023.
10. The city covers an area of 141.91 km².
11. Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities, with a 19% population increase between 2013 and 2018.
12. The city has a temperate climate, making outdoor activities popular year-round.
13. The Port of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port in terms of gross export tonnage and efficiency.
14. Tauranga is a major center for business, international trade, culture, fashion, and horticultural science.
15. The city features a railway wharf completed in 1927, which was used for coastal shipping until 1948.
16. Tauranga is connected to Auckland by the East Coast Main Trunk Railway.
17. The Strand waterfront area is a popular spot with cafés, restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs.
18. The city features bronze sculptures of Hairy Maclary characters, based on the books by local author Dame Lynley Dodd.
19. The Tauranga Art Gallery, opened in 2007, showcases local, national, and international exhibitions.
20. The "Historic Village on 17th" recreates a historic setting with original and replica buildings from early Tauranga.
21. The Baycourt Community and Arts Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts facility in the central business district.
22. The Classic Flyers Museum caters to aviation enthusiasts.
23. Te Puna Quarry Park, a former quarry converted into a community park, has become a regional attraction.
24. Tauranga is surrounded by beautiful coastline and beaches, offering various marine activities such as sailing, fishing, and dolphin watching.
25. McLaren Falls and the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park are popular natural attractions near the city.

05/10/2024

The Boyd Ship. (1809)
In December 1809 the sailing ship Boyd was anchored in Whangaroa Harbour, where it was to pick up a cargo of timber spars. It was attacked by a group of Māori who killed most of the crew and passengers in retaliation for the captain’s mistreatment of a young local chief, Te Ara, who had sailed from Sydney on the Boyd.
The Boyd incident.
This was the most violent clash between Māori and Europeans since the attack on Marion du Fresne and his crew in 1772. The incident had far- reaching effects. It delayed the establishment of the first Christian mission in New Zealand, cemented a view of New Zealand as the ‘Cannibal Isles’ and challenged the notion that Māori were ‘noble savages’.
European whalers avenged the attack, killing many Māori and sparking intertribal warfare in the region. The incident also provoked vigorous debate among officials in New South Wales about how to maintain order in New Zealand.
Why was the Boyd attacked?
Often referred to as the ‘Boyd Massacre’ or the ‘Burning of the Boyd’, the incident was dismissed as an act of Māori barbarism. From this perspective, there was little need to examine

Māori motives. The event was etched into New Zealand folklore by European artists several generations after the actual attack. Their romanticised and often inaccurate portrayals embedded the incident in a frontier context resembling North America’s Wild West.
Under the command of Captain John Thompson, the Boyd left Port Jackson (Sydney) in October 1809 and arrived in Whangaroa Harbour in the far north to load a cargo of kauri spars. It was probably only the third European ship to visit Whangaroa. A year earlier, the crew of the Commerce had caused an outbreak of disease that killed a number of Māori. Ngāti Uru believed that a curse had been placed on them and viewed the next European visitors, those on the Boyd, with apprehension and suspicion. For his part, this was to be Captain Thompson’s first – and last – encounter with Māori.
Utu is taken.
Among the 70 people on board the Boyd was Te Ara, the son of a Whangaroa chief. Te Ara had been expected to work his passage as a seaman, but he ignored orders. He may have been ill, or, as the son of a chief, he may have believed that such work was beneath him. Whatever his reasons, he was flogged and denied food. When

he arrived home and reported this mistreatment, his kin demanded utu.
Unaware of local feelings, Thompson and several crew members left the ship with a group of Māori to check out a stand of kauri further up the harbour. Once ashore they were killed and eaten. At dusk some Māori disguised themselves as the returning shore party while other warriors waited in canoes for the signal to attack. The assault was swift and decisive. Most of the Europeans were killed that evening, although a number escaped by climbing up into the ship’s rigging.
Te Pahi arrives.
The next morning a large canoe entered the harbour carrying Te Pahi, a prominent chief from Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands who supported trade with Europeans and had visited Sydney in 1805. Shocked by what he found, he tried to rescue the frightened Europeans still clinging to the ship’s rigging. However, Te Ara’s relatives thought the matter none of Te Pahi’s business and killed most of the survivors. In a classic case of mistaken identity, Europeans would later blame Te Pahi for the tragedy.
The Boyd was then towed up the harbour towards Te Ara’s village and grounded on mudflats near Motu Wai (Red Island). The ship

was pillaged of its cargo, with muskets and gunpowder being especially prized b***y.
During the pillaging a musket flint ignited the gunpowder on board, causing a massive explosion that killed a number of Māori, including Te Ara’s father. Fire soon spread to casks of inflammable whale oil, and the Boyd burned down to the waterline.
Survivors.
Several Europeans survived both the initial attack and its immediate aftermath. They included Thom Davis (the ship’s cabin boy), Ann Morley and her baby, and two-year-old Betsey Broughton, who was taken by a local chief. Thom was spared because he had tended to Te Ara after his flogging and had smuggled food to him. The second mate was put to work making fish-hooks from barrel hoops, but when he proved incompetent at this task he was killed and eaten. European utu.
Rumours of the incident reached the Bay of Islands, and three weeks later the City of Edinburgh and other vessels to investigate. A Māori chief from the Bay of Islands who accompanied the European force negotiated the return of Ann Morley, her baby and Thom Davis.

The taking of hostages secured the release of Betsey Broughton after a short delay.
Asked why they had attacked the ship, some of those involved said that the captain was a ‘bad man’. The whalers present blamed Te Pahi for the incident, even though the real perpetrators declared his innocence. Te Pahi’s pā, Te Puna, was destroyed by the European sailors, with considerable loss of Māori life.
This action resulted in civil war breaking out in the region, and in a final cruel irony, Te Pahi died of wounds received in battle in 1810. When Samuel Marsden arrived in 1814 to establish his Church Missionary Society mission, tensions still simmered. He invited chiefs from Whangaroa and the Bay of Islands aboard his ship, the Active, gave them gifts and asked them to ensure peace between their people.
‘Each chief saluted the other,’ Marsden wrote, ‘and then went around to each one pressing their noses together.’ They also assured him that they would never harm another European.
Travel advisory.
For some Europeans the Boyd incident put New Zealand in the ‘avoid if at all possible’ category. A pamphlet circulating in Europe warned sailors off

the ‘Cannibal Isles’ – ‘touch not that cursed shore lest you these Cannibals pursue’.
"History has often repeated the story as one of bloodshed, massacre and cannibalism. But is history really that simple? I don't think so," says Gallagher.
Deidre Brown, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland is a descendent of a local chief Te Pahi. Te Pahi tried to intervene and save the crew of the Boyd before the ship sank. "He understood what the repercussions were going to be for the Bay of Islands."
The rangatira's efforts to save the crew were misinterpreted by the Europeans and Te Pahi wrongly blamed. Pākehā whalers tracked Te Pahi to his home in the Bay of Islands and took revenge, killing the chief and 60 of his people.
"I can understand how horrible it must have been but what you've got to understand is why it happened." Local artist and educator Frances Goulton tells Gallagher that the whole tragic incident was spurred by the arrival of another ship, The Commerce, a year earlier.
The ship carried diseases, which killed a large number of Māori. Ngāti Uru thought they had been cursed.

"It was still raw," says Goulton. The sight of the next ship coming in and the memory of the last ship plus Te Ara, the son of a Whangaroa chief. Te Ara had been expected to work his passage as a seaman, but he ignored orders. He may have been ill, or, as the son of a chief, he may have believed that such work was beneath him. Whatever his reasons, he was flogged and denied food. When he arrived home and reported this mistreatment, his kin demanded utu. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/.../maori.../the-boyd- incident https://www.stuff.co.nz/.../an-early-massacre- seen-from...
Recommend watching:
https://www.nzonscreen.com/.../shipwreck-the- tragedy-of...

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