Ngā tīpuna i
Tamatea Nā HELEN BROWN
around 1pm on sunday, 28 march, 1773 a small waka unua with carved taurapa and tauihu glided out of Te Unu-o-Momotu (Cascade Cove), the narrow bay on the south side of the entrance to Tamatea (Dusky Sound). As the waka rounded the point it came to a standstill as the eight kaihoe (paddlers) stared in amazement. Two days prior, the Resolution had slipped quietly into the fiord and anchored at Whetū (Pickersgill Harbour), a small sheltered bay to the north of Te Unu-o-Momotu. For 30 minutes the visitors on the strange vessel with tall masts and sails tried to entice them aboard. Eventually, as rain started, the kaihoe turned and paddled away. So began the encounter between our southern tīpuna, Captain James Cook, and the crew of the Resolution. In following weeks, gifts, knowledge, and food were exchanged. While these experiences were no doubt profound for the tīpuna involved, when the Resolution departed six weeks later, it left barely a trace on our tribal memory. The visit was not inconsequential, but the benign nature of the actual encounter means that Cook has never loomed large in our tribal histories.
Right: Waterfall in Dusky Bay with Maori canoe, 1776, by William Hodges. Purchased 2019 with assistance from Lottery Grants Board, Tuia Encounters – 250 Fund. TE PAPA (2019-0003-1).
44 TE KARAKA MAKARIRI 2020
