The Great Migration departure point

Departure point for the Great Migration circa 1350CE to NZ. Seven vaka, "canoes", sailed out through this inlet as the local Māori set forth in the search for new lands, likely not on the same day as each "canoe" may have been a flotilla of many actual double hulled boats. The vaka Aotea landed in Auckland. Takitumu at East Cape, Mataatua in Whakatane, Arava in Maketu, Tainui eventually landed at Kawhia, Tokomaru vaka at Whangaparaoa and Kuraaupo near North Cape. The Rarotonga legends vary a bit from NZ Māori versions but it's clear a large migration did leave from here for NZ around 1350.Read more