History of the Gisborne District
The Gisborne District or Gisborne Region has a deep and complex history that dates back to the early 1300s. The region, on the East Coast of New Zealand's North Island, has many culturally and historically significant sites that relate to early Māori exploration in the 14th century and important colonial events, such as Captain Cook's first landfall in New Zealand.
First arrivals
For over seven centuries the Gisborne District has been inhabited by the tribes of Te Whānau-a-Kai, Ngaariki Kaiputahi, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou and Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti.[1][2] According to Māori tradition, these iwi descended from three main groups of migrants, the crews of the Te Ikaroa-a-Rauru, Horouta and Tākitimu waka, which were part of a larger seven-canoe migration from Hawaiki around 1350 AD.[3][4]
Māui and Paikea
The Ngāti Porou iwi of the East Cape cite the god-like figure Māui as being fundamental to their history. It is said that he is the ancestor who binds Ngāti Porou descendants to the beginnings of human existence.[5] Māui's canoe Nukutaimemeha is the most ancient waka associated with the region. In it he is said to have fished up the North Island from the bottom of the ocean.[6] According to tribal tradition, Nukutaimemeha now lies upturned in stone on Mt Hikurangi, another significant cultural icon.[4]
Ngāti Porou derive their name from their ancestor Porourangi, a descendant of Māui. Porourangi's wife, Hamoterangi, migrated on Te Ikaroa a Rauru waka which belonged to Māia, brother-in-law of Uenuku,[7][8] who bought with him precious gourd seeds.[9] Te Ikaroa a Rauru came ashore on the Kaiti side of the Tūranganui River, close to Tuamotu, and the crew occupied this area as well as the banks of the Taruheru stream.[10] Māia lived at the Puhi Kaiti pā.[11]
Horouta, Takitimu and Te Ikaroa-a-Rauru
Whilst it is generally accepted that the tribes of the East Coast descend from the voyagers of the three above mentioned
In one account, the great navigator Kiwa was the commander aboard the Tākitimu canoe which made the first landfall in the region from
Originally, the great
Many place-names were left by the Horouta crew including the Waipaoa River, Te Kurī-o-Pāoa (Young Nick's Head), and Te Tuahenitanga-a-Pawa (Tuahine Point).[16]
Early history (c. 1350 – 1900)
Māori settlement
During the fourteenth century, Māori tribes built fishing villages close to the sea and built pā on nearby hilltops.[21]
In fifteenth century,
Several major conflicts occurred in the region between neighbouring tribes over the following centuries, which led to the spread of influence of Porourangi's descendants.[22][5]
Captain Cook's landing
On 8 October 1769, Captain James Cook made his historic first landing in New Zealand upon the Endeavour at Gisborne's Kaiti Beach.[23] Cook had earlier set off from Plymouth, England in August 1768 on a mission bound for Tahiti. Once he had concluded his duties in Tahiti, Cook continued south to look for a large landmass or continent.[16][24] Young Nick's Head was thought to be the first piece of New Zealand land sighted by Cook's party, and so named because it was first observed by cabin boy Nicholas Young on October 6.[25][24]
On October 9, Cook came ashore on the eastern bank of the Tūranganui River, accompanied by a party of men.[16] Their arrival was marred by misunderstanding and resulted in the death and wounding of nine Maori over four days.[21][26] Cook dubbed the place Poverty Bay because "it afforded us no one thing we wanted."[27] Before leaving the region, the Endeavour visited Anaura and Tolaga bays where they had more positive interactions with Māori.[28]
Cook's landing site on Kaiti Beach was commemorated by a monument in 1906, on the 137th anniversary of Cook's arrival. In 1964 the Gisborne committee of the
Musket Wars
With the arrival of European whaling and trading ships in the early 1800s, the northern tribes of Ngapuhi and Ngati Whatua were able to trade flax, potatoes, fruit and pigs for muskets.[30] As muskets were made more readily available, intertribal warfare intensified, as did Kaitangata (cannibalism), slavery and the pursuit of utu (revenge). During this time the East Coast region was decimated by the northern tribes, as Ngāpuhi chiefs Pōmare and Te Wera Hauraki waged a number of battles against local iwi.[28][31] Most notable was the 1820 massacre of Ngati Porou hapu by Pōmare's war party during a six-month siege in Te Whetumatarau pa at Te Araroa.[32][5]
European settlement and town growth
European settlement did not begin in the Gisborne District until the early 1830s, when
Over the next 30 years, many more European traders and missionaries migrated to the region, where flax, muskets, blankets, tobacco were the main products of trade.[28] In May 1840, 24 chiefs from the Tūranga district signed the Treaty of Waitangi.[34] Land was then sold or leased, and more systematic European settlement of the area began.[26] The Māori people of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa made the most of business and trading opportunities, with some hapū beginning to ship produce long distance to a prospering Auckland.[28]
Conflict in the 1860s
During the early 1860s conflict had broken out between Māori and the government over ownership of land and authority. Initially few people of the Tūranganui-a-Kiwa tribes were drawn into these wars, but attitudes changed when the government began to confiscate Māori land.[26]
As the
Internal conflicts followed in a number of places from northern Waiapu to Tokomaru Bay, Tolaga Bay, and Tūranganui–Waerenga-a-hika. They ended in the pursuit of Te Kooti through the Urewera in 1870.[5]
20th century
The end of the 19th century marked an end to conflict and the beginning of flourishing trade opportunities along the coast.[5] A thriving pastoral hinterland and two new freezing works boosted development and as a result many other industries were established.[15]
In 1868 the government bought 300 hectares of land in Tūranga for a town site. The town was laid out in 1870 and the name changed from Tūranga to Gisborne, after the then colonial secretary William Gisborne, and to avoid confusion with Tauranga. In 1872, Gisborne's first public school was opened and its first newspaper, the Poverty Bay Standard was established.[17] A town council was formed in 1877.[15][21]
From the 1890s onwards, Ngati Porou leader Āpirana Ngata rose to prominence as a political leader and staunch advocate for Māori development on the East Coast. His leadership helped revitalise the Māori population and morale through administration of farm land, cultural revival in the arts and literature, and promotion of sports. Ngata helped to organise Māori participation in both world wars and is remembered as the 'father of the Māori Battalion'.[5][37][38]
By 1926 the population of Gisborne had risen to 15,000. It was overwhelmingly Pākehā (European) – fewer than 2% were Māori. However, the opening of a new meeting house at Te Poho-o-Rāwiri marae in 1930 was a major public event that bought many Māori to the area. By that time Gisborne had developed into a provincial capital with an improved harbour, a post office, a high school and a flourishing main street (Gladstone Road). Homes were built along the banks of the Taruheru River, along with a botanical garden.[15]
Pastoral farming continued to thrive during the 1950s and 1960s. The port was complemented by a rail link and an airport, and a food-processing and canning industry developed.[15] Gisborne attained city status on August 8, 1955 with a population of 20,000.[39]
From the second half of the 20th century, the Gisborne region began to grow as a major centre of Māori culture. While in 1961 the Māori population in the area was just under 12% of the total, by 2013 it had increased to 49%, the highest proportion of any regional population.[40][15] The 2013 New Zealand census revealed that over 30% of Māori residents in Gisborne speak Māori.[41]
In March 1988 Cyclone Bola hit Gisborne and the East Cape, bringing torrential rain that flooded the area for more than three days and caused significant damage to homes and farm land, costing the horticulture industry an estimated $90 million. Three people died and thousands were evacuated from their homes. Cyclone Bola resulted in a government repair bill of more than $111 million.[42][43]
Due to its proximity to the international dateline,
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