Biography of Abel Tasman (1602 - 1659)

Abel Tasman was an experienced and highly skilled explorer, and was the first known European to sight New Zealand. He was also a controversial and colourful character who led an exciting and eventful life.

Abel Janszoon Tasman was born around 1602 in the village of Lutjegast, near Groningen, in the Netherlands. Little is known about Tasman’s early life. His first wife was named Claesgie Heyndrix, and they had a daughter, Claesjen. Claesgie died before 1631, which was when Abel Tasman, ‘widower and sailor’, announced his intention to marry his second wife, Jannetje (Joanna) Tjaerts. Tasman’s second marriage took place in 1632.

Tasman was employed for some years by the Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC), known in English as the United East India Company. In 1634, Tasman was promoted to the rank of first mate of the company’s ship, Weesp. Shortly afterwards, he was promoted to skipper of the ship Mocha. He was sent to the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) where he was to patrol the islands against pirates.

In 1637, Tasman returned to the Netherlands, where his wife had stayed. Shortly afterwards, they both sailed for Batavia (now Jakarta), the main trading base of the VOC. From Batavia, Tasman led some important trading missions to Japan, Formosa (now Taiwan), and Cambodia. Tasman was a highly experienced and resourceful skipper, who took a positive interest in exploration. 

In August 1642, Tasman embarked on his great voyage, in which he sighted New Zealand. The expedition returned to Batavia in June 1643. Although his employers believed he should have explored the new lands he had discovered more thoroughly, he was sent in command of another expedition to map part of the northern coastline of Australia.

In 1644, the VOC confirmed Tasman in his rank of skipper commander, and until 1648, he was a member of the Council of Justice at Batavia. He also continued to command trading missions to other parts of Asia.

In 1648, Tasman fell into disgrace when, drunk, he attempted to hang two sailors for alleged disobedience. The sailors were rescued, and Tasman was tried by the Council of Justice. He was suspended without pay and ordered to pay compensation to one of the sailors who had nearly died.

Tasman was reinstated to his post after eleven months, and by 1653 he had retired. He was relatively wealthy, owning 288 acres of town land in Batavia, and being a part owner and captain of a small cargo ship. Abel Tasman probably died in 1659, aged about 56 years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and grandchildren.

Text originally published in Tai Awatea, Te Papa's onfloor multimedia database.