The Tuia 250 flotilla came to a conclusion at Mahia. Photo / Gisborne Herald
The Tuia 250 flotilla came to a conclusion at Mahia. Photo / Gisborne Herald
"This is not the end, it's just the end of the beginning," Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis said at Tuahuru Marae in Mahia.
He chose to paraphrase the immortal words of Winston Churchill for the official closing ceremony for Tuia 250.
Rather than a celebration of Cook's arrival as previousyears had commemorated, Tuia 250 events acknowledged the first onshore encounters between Maori and Pakeha.
A meeting of this significance always held the prospect of conflict between world views, as was seen around the country.
Deputy PM Kelvin Davis and PM Jacinda Ardern at Tuahuru Marae. Photo / Gisborne Herald
Winds that would otherwise fill boat sails at Mahia blew the dark morning clouds away and left the delegates in sunshine for the ceremony.
"This has been a commemoration that has given us the opportunity to talk about New Zealand's history and I don't think it has been done in the way that we've done with Tuia," said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"The stories of those who were lost, the stories of iwi previously untold were told," she said.
"One of the important elements of Tuia has been to help bring these people, places and stories into the spotlight, and into the collective consciousness of New Zealanders, where they belong,"
Ardern said the telling of New Zealand's shared history through Tuia 250 must continue, and the Government would play its part.
"We have heard many stories about people and places that are crucial to our history and national identity, but which until now have been overlooked or forgotten.
"Now our obligation is to continue that."
Ardern announced she had commissioned advice on how the Government can support and preserve voyaging and waka building knowledge.
"It's important for all New Zealanders to have a chance to hear about this voyaging matauranga, but especially for tamariki who can take immense pride in the knowledge and accomplishments of their tupuna."
Tuia 250 has also highlighted the incredible navigational and voyaging prowess of Maori, who traversed the Pacific with great skill and accuracy centuries before James Cook first ventured here aboard the Endeavour in 1769."
Davis, who holds ministerial responsibility for Tuia 250, said the event played a part in shaping stories of the early navigators.
"It's an amazing body of knowledge that they had and they were able to achieve things, like sailing to a destination on the other side of the horizon. Other people these days need GPS and technology, and they just did it by reading the swells of the ocean, the clouds and the waves.
"There's a myth that we were sort of washed here and stayed here, but we went backwards and forwards and shared the knowledge," Mr Davis said, recalling the legend of Kupe returning to teach his son how to travel to Aotearoa.
"This has been an opportunity for stories to be told."
Tuahuru Marae kaumatua Kenny Campbell said there was a natural connection between the Tahitian voyagers and Mahia.
He said the early voyagers held whales in a revered position, named many of the hills after them and the local iwi still see whales as their kaitiaki (guardians).
"The significance for us here was the fact that not many waka landed here, but the first ones did."
Campbell said he felt happy as the event was an important day for him and his people and said this was reflected by the media presence and important dignitaries in attendance.
"This is a big deal for me and my people, this is not going to leave us now."
What was not lost on anyone was the connection between the Rocket Lab launch complex on the peninsula, and the early voyagers.
Tuia 250 co-chair Dame Jenny Shipley finished her speech noting that the place where the first great Polynesian sailors were guided to Mahia by the stars is now the same place where rockets fly to reach them.
