abel tasman

Personal details

Full Name:

Abel Janszoon Tasman

Lifetime:

1602/1603–1659?

Biography

Abel Tasman

The dutch explorer Abel Tasman is officially recognised as the first European to ‘discover’ New Zealand in 1642. His men were the first Europeans to have a confirmed encounter with Māori.

Events In History

18 December 1642

First known encounter between Māori and Europeans

Abel Tasman’s Dutch East India Company expedition had the first known European contact with Māori. It did not go well. Read more...
13 December 1642

First recorded European sighting of New Zealand

Towards noon the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted 'a large land, uplifted high', possibly the peaks of the Paparoa Range behind Punakaiki. Read more...