Tuia 250 ki Tūranga is about our people and our place - what brought us together, what challenges us, and how we weave our differences into a future we will be proud to leave our grand-children.
Join us on our monthly programme of history and story sharing.
Tuia 250 ki Tūranga actively explores the stories on land and at sea.
We will recognise and commemorate two extraordinary voyaging traditions and cultures –each with their legacies and technologies, opportunities and vulnerabilities.
But most importantly, Tuia 250 ki Tūranga will make room for conversations, some of them awkward, all of them vital to forging a shared future.
Tuia 250 Commemorations
in Tūranga / Gisborne
Between October 5 and 10, Tūranga is home to the nation’s official week-long commemorations programme and the launch of the Tuia 250 Voyage.
Tairāwhiti people get a second bite at this historic occasion with the arrival of the Tuia Flotilla at Opoutama, Tolaga Bay on 12th October where they will remain until the 16th October.
Join us as we recognise the extraordinary navigation traditions of Te Moananui a Kiwa – the feats of Pacific voyagers and the journey’s and navigational capabilities of early European explorers.
In our back yard you will find many opportunities to engage with the a nuanced, multifaceted, challenging story of the early encounters between Māori and Europeans – the views from the bay and the views from the shore – as we strive to bring to life our history in all its forms.
For those with a desire to understand the history of the country we live in, this is a rare moment in time to visit the places, take in the landscape, and let the stories unfold.
October 5 - Welcoming the Waka/Vaka Fleet
The first national Opening Ceremony of the Tuia 250 Voyage will be held at dawn. Join us as we welcome Tahitian Va’a Moana Faafaite and the Tahitian Voyaging Society, Waka Hourua Haunui and Te Toki Voyaging Trust and Waka Hourua Ngāhīraka and Te Kura Waka to our place & celebrate over a thousand years of the voyaging and navigation tradition.
October 6 - Explore the Waka Fleet
This is your chance to board the waka and va’a, meet the crews and learn more about ancient Pacific voyaging traditions. Find out how to build a star compass, learn more about celestial navigation and the importance of sustaining our oceans.
October 8 – Commemorating the arrival of Europeans to Aotearoa
The second national Opening Ceremony, commemorates the first arrival of the Endeavour in 1769 to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa and Aotearoa bringing with her the first Europeans to set foot on these islands. Heritage vessels will arrive at dawn and participate in a commemorative ceremony that acknowledges the lives lost in the very first encounters between Europeans and local iwi and re-sets the official historic record to include the voices of tangata whenua.
October 9 - Explore the Flotilla
Your opportunity to get up close and personal with the full complement of Tuia 250 voyaging vessels.
There’s a vessel for all interests – from the European heritage vessels to a fleet of waka and vaka.
This is your chance to board the flotilla, meet the crew and learn more about these impressive vessels. Find out how to build a star compass, learn more about celestial navigation and the importance of sustaining our oceans. And discover how these vessels navigated Te Moananui a Kiwa – the greatest ocean on the planet.
October 11 - Farewell
Find a great vantage point along the coastline from which to view and farewell the full flotilla as it leaves Tūranganui a Kiwa and makes its way to Uawa. You might have to be up extra early!
October 12 to Oct 16 - Tuia Flotilla are at Uawa/Tolaga Bay
If you miss the Flotilla in Tūranga/Gisborne you can catch them at Uawa over four great days while they are hosted by Te Aitanga a Hauiti and the wider community. You will be able to engage with the crews of the vessels and hear about an enduring relationship and knowledge exchange between Tahitian Star Navigator, Tupaia and the people of Uawa.
Be part of history. Join us for six epic days as we explore the extraordinary voyaging traditions and cultures of Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (the Pacific). Register now for the very latest updates.
