Proud to live in a country influenced by Cook

NOBODY would deny that our own history has been poorly taught by our education system and we should do better.

The problem is whose version should we teach: the heavily revised history of today or the facts as they were written down at the time?

I would like to think that a historian’s role is to find and collate ‘‘facts’’ then analyse them with learned explanations as to the context of the day and events that lead to those ‘‘facts’’.

Sadly, today’s historians tend to ignore context. They refer to actions that happened 250 years ago, which we would find find abhorrent today.

The truth is the world was different then. What offends us now may have been commonplace and acceptable then.

How we treat Captain James Cook is a case in point.

He was a naval man where discipline was strict. He had three rules to govern him. They were to protect his men, his ship and to follow orders.

When his crew were accosted by a threatening group, one about to throw a spear, he had no time to analyse cultural issues or arrange a meeting. His senior man followed orders and shot to kill.

History recognises Cook as the most enlightened explorer of his time. He is regarded for the care of his people and the fair way he treated all he encountered. His voyages paved the way for our country to be colonised by the most enlightened country in the world at the time. For 200 years, New Zealand thrived, and became the most prosperous and admired country in the world.

I think we should be very grateful for Cook and those who followed. All eight of my greatgrandparents were in New Zealand before 1876. I have nothing but admiration for their contribution to the country’s success. Murray Reid

Cambridge

[Abridged] ..................................

BIBLE READING: He who does not love abides in death. — 1 John 3:14.