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A statue which is supposed to be of Captain Cook which has stood in Gisborne for half a century is to be consigned to the local museum.
Gisborne District Council has agreed to remove the statue, which was donated by a brewery for the Cook Bicentennial in 1969.
It was opposed from the start by Ngati Oneone, and in recent years has been subject to a number of paint attacks.
Iwi spokesperson Barney Tupara says its removal will allow for more balanced representation at the 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing, including acknowledgment of those ancestors who arrived before the English naval captain.
The council says the area known as Cook’s Plaza will be upgraded so iwi stories and cultural design elements can be shared.
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