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Story: Te Tau Ihu tribes

A view of Murderers Bay

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A view of Murderers Bay

Produced in 1642 by Isaac Gilsemans, this sketch depicts one of the earliest encounters between the Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri tribe of the Nelson area, and Pākehā in the form of the Dutch at Golden Bay. Abel Tasman had named the place Murderers Bay after four of his men were killed by Tūmatakōkiri.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PUBL-0086-021

by Isaac Gilsemans

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Hilary Mitchell and John Mitchell, Te Tau Ihu tribes – The migration from Hawaiki and beyond, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/548/a-view-of-murderers-bay (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Hilary Mitchell and John Mitchell, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 March 2017.