250 Tuia

Today we watched the French Polynesian flotilla arrive in Gisborne. They had sailed from Tahiti using only stars, moon, current and sun to navigate. This is to commemorate the arrival of Maori to New Zealand from the Pacific Islands 800 years ago as part of the celebration of Captian James Cooks arrival 250 years ago. A replica of the Endeavour, Captian Cooks vessel, arrives on Tuesday which is the actual date one of his crew first sited New Zealand, a headland near where Gisborne is now.
This photo is of a Maori Kuia (female elder) waiting to welcome the flotilla as it arrives as part of the Maori welcome.
The extra is the va'a that sailed from Tahiti.