For many years, it was widely understood that sometime during the 1300s, often dated to around 1350, a fleet of Polynesian voyaging canoes assembled at Avana in Rarotonga before undertaking a planned migration to Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud.

Individual vaka, waka, and va'a had travelled there before. Some early voyagers remained in the new land, while others returned north, carrying news of a large southern land where the climate was cooler, but food, space, and resources were plentiful.

For some of our adventurous and intrepid ancestors, many of whom lived on small and increasingly crowded islands where resources were limited and conflict was not uncommon, the opportunity to migrate south to Aotearoa was compelling.

Some oral histories in both the Cook Islands and Aotearoa speak of a great fleet gathering at Avana before sailing south. Seven vaka are commonly named in these traditions: Aotea, Tainui, Te Arawa, Mataatua, Takitumu, Tokomaru, and Kurahaupo.

However, later examination of these histories, particularly the traditions handed down in Aotearoa, suggests migration may have occurred through multiple voyages over time, rather than as one single coordinated fleet. Some voyages are believed to have passed through Rarotonga, while others travelled via the Kermadec Islands.

Modern voyaging canoes, depending on weather and sea conditions, typically take between 15 and 21 days to sail from Rarotonga to Aotearoa. It is likely our ancestors' voyages took a similar length of time. Many made landfall along the east coast of Te Ika a Maui, the North Island, leading renowned Maori scholar Te Rangihiroa, Sir Peter Buck, to describe Polynesian navigators as the “Vikings of the Sunrise”.

There were also exceptions, particularly for vaka travelling via the Kermadec Islands.

Aotea is said to have been made from a great tree from Hawaiki, a term often understood not as one single place, but as a broader ancestral homeland.

The double-hulled vaka was built by a man named Toto, who gave it to his daughter Rongorongo. Her husband was Turi, who became involved in a dispute with the chief Uenuku. After conflict with Uenuku, Turi, Rongorongo, and their people fled south to Aotearoa.

En route, Aotea stopped at Rangitahua, the original name associated with one of the Kermadec Islands, where they encountered members of the Kurahaupo crew, another vaka travelling to Aotearoa.

Under Turi's captaincy, Aotea continued south and eventually made landfall north of Kawhia, on the west coast of Te Ika a Maui. From there, Turi and his people made their way overland to Taranaki, where they settled and became ancestors of Taranaki iwi, including Ngati Ruanui, Nga Rauru, and Ngaruahine.

The place where Aotea was left is now known as Aotea Harbour.