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The first official European sighting of Rarotonga was from the Endeavour in September/October 1813. The first known landing was by the crew of the Cumberland in 1814. This was a commercial expedition from Australia and New Zealand and its objective was to find sandalwood. -
Dutchman, Jacob Roggeveen was the first European to sight the islands in 1722, but it wasn't until 1830 when the Reverend John Williams arrived in Savai'i, that the Christian gospel had an impact on Samoan life. Visitors to Samoa may be shown the monuments to John Williams on both main islands. -
The first Europeans arrived in 1616, when the Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire spotted Tongans in a canoe off the coast of Niuatoputapu, and the famous Abel Tasman followed soon after. -
The first European to arrive in New Zealand was the Dutch explorers Kupe discovered the island New Zealand in 1642. The name New Zealand comes from the Dutch of New Zealand', the name first given to us by a Dutch mapmaker. He discovered New Zealand by chasing after a octopus that had been eating their fish and other food they they have caught. -
He went in his canoe and chased the octopus to try and kill it, but on his way he discovered Aotearoa. It was till around 700 years later till he discovered the islands of New Zealand such as the North island, the South island, and Stewart island. Those are the main 3 islands of New Zealand. Their are 600 other islands apart from the South, North and Stewart islands. -
The European discoveries of the Fiji group were accidental. The first of these discoveries was made in 1643 by the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman and English navigators, including Captain James Cook who sailed through in 1774, and made further explorations in the 18th century. -
The first-recorded European contact with the island took place on 5 April (Easter Sunday) 1722 when Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen visited for a week and estimated there were 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants on the island. -
Captain Samuel Wallis was the first documented explorer to discover the island of Tahiti. He anchored the British vessel HMS Dolphin in Matavai Bay on June 23, 1767, and claimed the island in the name of King George III -
Hawaii was found in 1778 January 18th. it was discovered by Captain James Cook the first European to travel the island.