This volume of the Remarkables series introduces a range of people who have dropped in and connected with Kiwis. All are examples of people who have achieved much. In these short biographies we explore how they did that. Their adventures and their unique approaches provide clues to all of us who want to live a rich and fulfilling life.
The first visitor to Aotearoa (New Zealand) was the legendary navigator Kupe. Some 500 years later than Kupe (1769) James Cook arrived, accompanied by the great navigator Tupaia. Their meeting with the local Māori did not always go well. Cook had a disconcerting inflexibility that made managing conflict difficult. Tupaia's diplomatic skills helped smooth some of these issues.
Serious western exploitation was beginning when Charles Darwin arrived in 1835. He wanted to be home in England, but the hospitality of the English missionaries provided some respite.
Jean Batten flew to Auckland from England in 1936. This was a return journey, she epitomised a great New Zealand tradition of leaving the country.
New Zealand is the world's newest country in terms of human settlement. It is the oldest in terms of its isolation and the development of a remarkable range of birdlife. Sirocco is a unique example of the kakapo – a large, flightless, nocturnal, rugby-ball shaped parrot. Sirocco has the endearing habit of climbing up and attempting to mate with humans he meets. Stephen Fry provides a spectator's view of Sirocco doing his thing.