The British Government will today convey a formal expression of regret for deaths involving Captain James Cook in 1769.
Exclusive Expression of regret for deaths involving explorer stop short of apology
The British High Commissioner will attend historic ceremonies shrouded in secrecy in Gisborne to try to repair the enduring grief caused by the loss of nine lives during Cook’s first landing in New Zealand almost 250 years to the day.
The British Government will today convey a formal expression of regret to Gisborne-based iwi for deaths involving Captain James Cook 250 years ago, in ceremonies shrouded in secrecy.
The expressions of regret will be made by British High Commissioner Laura Clarke in private marae meetings but will stop short of an apology.
Such is the sensitivity of today’s events, there is no intention for Clarke to put her words in writing or for her to repeat later what she says inside the marae. The expression of regret is intended to become part of the history of the iwi concerned and they are to determine how it is shared and with whom.
Clarke will hold two meetings in Gisborne. The first is with Nga¯ti Oneone about noon, the second with the three Tu¯ranga iwi — Ngai Ta¯manuhiri, Rongowhakaata, and Te Aitanga a Ma¯haki — a few hours later.
Some of their tipuna, or ancestors, were among the nine Ma¯ori killed or wounded in Cook’s first NZ landing in 1769, the grief for which has endured over the centuries.
The British High Commission has not issued any notice of today’s events and has sworn the iwi involved to secrecy.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Ma¯ori Crown Relations Kelvin Davis are due to visit Turanganui-a-Kiwa or Poverty Bay at the weekend for events to mark Cook’s arrival.
It is understood there were initial discussions about getting the Government to join with the British in expressing regret for the deaths.
But the Government’s position is that not only was there no NZ Government at the time, but that expressions of regret and apologies are made to iwi as part of the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.
Nga¯ti Oneone leader Te Maro was shot dead by one of Cook’s men on October 8, the first day of landing, possibly while doing a ceremonial challenge, history texts suggest.
The next day Rongowhakata chief Te Rakau was killed and others wounded, and later that day several more Ma¯ ori were killed. Cook headed north from there and more Ma¯ori were killed in confrontations at Mercury Bay and the Cavalli Islands.
The Tuia250 events marking 250 years since Cook’s arrival have been dogged in controversy.
The iwi hosting the British today have refused to take part in a welcome for a replica of Cook’s Endeavour which is due to visit Gisborne next week as part of a flotilla of tall ships and ocean voyaging waka.
They suggested the ancestors of colonialists could do the welcome.
It is not known if the ceremony will change that. But the Gisborne District Council will host the welcome to the Endeavour and others.
Northern iwi Nga¯ti Kahu opposed the Endeavour docking at Mangonui.
The Ministry of Culture and Heritage, which sought applications from young Kiwis to sail on the doublehulled canoe Fa’afaite as part of Tuia250, apologised in August for a digital security breach which exposed details of 302 applicants.