Archive News
Demystifying Cook - 10 Nov 2009
Was Captain James Cook the hero we profess him to be, or have his exploits been glorified through the passing of time?
This, and Cook’s great voyages of Pacific exploration will be the subjects of two upcoming presentations to be held by Tauranga Art Gallery over the next month. The presentations are the first in a series of four by notable historians and anthropologists, as part of Gallery’s latest exhibition ‘The Captain: exploring images of James Cook’.
According to Professor Paul Tapsell from the University of Otago, Mäori believe that Cook’s first steps on Aotearoa would have been his last had it not been for the presence of Tupaea, a passenger by chance on the HMS Endeavour at the time Cook attempted his first landing.
Tapsell states that Tupaea, the priestly navigator who joined the Endeavour after Cook’s visit to Tahiti, not only assisted Cook on his navigation through the South Pacific, but also provided an essential cultural bridge between Mäori and Cook’s crew upon their arrival in Aotearoa, which was arguably pivotal to their survival.
Tapsell explores the role Tupaea played alongside Cook and Banks in the development of the New Zealand nation, in his presentation ‘Cook, Banks and Tupaea’ to be held at 6pm, Monday 30 November in the Gallery.
Eminent historian, writer and academic, Professor Dame Anne Salmond will deliver the second presentation of the series, ‘Pushing the Edges at Sea’, later the same week at 6pm, Thursday 3 December.
Professor Salmond examines the great voyages of Pacific exploration by Captain Cook and Captain Bligh, along with the relationship between these great adventurers.
Dame Salmond is a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Mäori Studies at the University of Auckland and widely published author of numerous books on New Zealand’s cultural history. Her presentation follows the release of her latest book Aphrodite’s Island: The European Discovery of Tahiti.
Professor Salmond’s The Trial of the Cannibal Dog: Captain Cook in the South Seas won the Montana Book Award in 2004.
‘Pushing the Edges at Sea’ will be held in room 106 at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Bongard Centre on Cameron Road.
The final two presentations in the series will be held at the Gallery in January. ‘Captain Cook’s Shoes’ by Dr Tom Ryan at 3pm, Saturday 23 January, and ‘The Religious World of Captain Cook’ by Dr Michael Goldsmith at 3pm, Saturday 30 January. Both Drs Ryan and Goldsmith teach at the University of Waikato.
The presentations are being held in association with The University of Waikato in Tauranga.
Admission to all presentations is by gold coin donation.
The Captain can be viewed at Tauranga Art Gallery until 31 January 2010.
See Events for further details on each presentation.
© 2009