Early New Zealand Exploration | Kupe & Captain James Cook

LI: To learn about early exploration.

Kupe and Captain James Cook are two important explorers in New Zealand's history.

Kupe arrived in New Zealand around the 1100's. He travelled by traditional methods on a traditional sail boat called the 'Poti'. Myth has it he followed a giant octopus in hopes of fighting and killing it. He did this voyage to find new land for his people to live and because of the lack of sea life in his village. His wife, Kuramārōtini named New Zealand Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Clouds) after seeing mountains under the cloud.

Captain Cook arrived to New Zealand in 1768. Cook travelled to New Zealand in a boat called the Endeavour which was weaponized and really big. Captain Cook was set to find the great southern continent but instead ended up in New Zealand.

Kupe is important to New Zealand's history because he was the first documented person in New Zealand. Captain Cook is important to New Zealand's history because he mapped New Zealand and opened it up to the world to access.