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some Englishman who happened to bump into a few islands while observing the transition of Venus across the face of the sun .
The Māori came across Aoraki some time in the 14th Century , not too long before the Dutch more than likely laid eyes upon the giant peak . Add a couple of hundred years and it was named for Captain James Cook . It ’ s all relatively recent in the greater scheme of human history , for New Zealand is regarded as the last land mass to have been discovered by humans , the Māori of Polynesia , during the thirteen hundreds .
The short eight-hundred-year occupation by the Māori was one of conquest , settlement , and further conquest . Distinct groups , tribes , and allies , set about claiming land often warring to the point of extinction , then came the Europeans , the Dutch , the French , and the British . Despite early clashes it brought relative peace .
The Māori culture of the region is rich , evidenced by the dual names of almost every landmark , it ’ s a way of educating and keeping longstanding cultures alive , riding the many back roads and mountain passes plays homage to the history of the region .
Passes with names like Dansey ’ s
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