Personal details
Full Name:
- Abel Janszoon Tasman
Lifetime:
- 1602/1603?–1659?
Biography
Abel Tasman
The dutch explorer Abel Tasman is officially recognised as the first European to ‘discover’ New Zealand in 1642. His men were the first Europeans to have a confirmed encounter with Māori.
Read more...Events In History
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18 December 1642First contact between Māori and EuropeansOn the evening of 18 December Abel Tasman and his men had the first known European encounter with Māori. Although this initial meeting was peaceful, misunderstanding and fear soon led to violence. Read more...
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13 December 1642First recorded European sighting of New ZealandTowards noon the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted 'a large land, uplifted high'. What he saw may have been the peaks of the Paparoa Range behind Punakaiki. Read more...
Articles
Early explorers
The romance and sheer challenge of getting to New Zealand have made the Polynesian discovery and European rediscovery of these islands popular topics of study.
- Page 3 - European explorersSpanish and the Portuguese had an active presence in the Pacific from the early 16th century, but there is no firm evidence of Europeans reaching New Zealand before Abel Tasman in
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Main image: Abel Tasman memorial, Golden Bay
