Title

First Encounters, The Early Pacific and European Narratives of Abel Tasman’s 1642 Voyage.

Author

Mack:, Rüdiger.

Details

The Heritage Press, Feilding 2024

Publication date

2024

Type

Book

Language

English

Countries of context

Aotearoa New Zealand | Australia

Subject category

Voyages of exploration and discovery 1600-1900: Dutch

Abstract

Rüdiger Mack: First Encounters, The Early Pacific and European Narratives of Abel Tasman’s 1642 Voyage, published by The Heritage Press, Feilding 2024, ISBN: 9781991097002

It covers the earliest contact between Tasmanians, Māori and Tongans with Europeans and offers a new look at the early contact period in Pacific history. The book includes the indigenous oral history rather than only relying on Dutch sources.

• The book publishes the first complete English translation of an important Dutch source which has previously been largely ignored.
• Delving into art history the book has for the first time been able to identify the artist who copied the 45 illustrations into Tasman’s official account after the return of the expedition to Batavia in 1643.

For Tongan history the book is very interesting because I have been able to find the earliest, previously unknown reference to ta'ovala. I have been able to confirm that Tasman met the first Tu'i Kanokupolu Ngata in Hihifo in January 1643 and I have also discovered 2 illustrations of Tongatapu and of Nomuka which show details which are not in Abel Tasman's official account of the voyage.

[Rudi Mack, 2024].

Last Updated

17 Dec 2025