Ben Wilson

there are a number of Tahitians who are there to talk and to trade and whatever. There's a lot of contact between the two peoples, right? And so Captain Cook takes a half dozen, I think it's actually eight, yeah, it's eight nobles who happened to be in the fort at that time, and he kidnaps them. He takes them prisoner.

there are a number of Tahitians who are there to talk and to trade and whatever. There's a lot of contact between the two peoples, right? And so Captain Cook takes a half dozen, I think it's actually eight, yeah, it's eight nobles who happened to be in the fort at that time, and he kidnaps them. He takes them prisoner.

And he says to the Tahitians, I'm not releasing these people until you return my sailors to me. The sailors say, okay, well, two can play this game. And they take a bunch of prisoners and say, we won't release them until Captain Cook releases his prisoners. Anyways, so eventually the situation is diffused and Cook gets his men back. These two sailors, they have to come back on board the Endeavor.

And he says to the Tahitians, I'm not releasing these people until you return my sailors to me. The sailors say, okay, well, two can play this game. And they take a bunch of prisoners and say, we won't release them until Captain Cook releases his prisoners. Anyways, so eventually the situation is diffused and Cook gets his men back. These two sailors, they have to come back on board the Endeavor.

It's greatly damaging to relations with the Tahitians, which Banks laments. He's like, I can't believe you did this. These people are never going to trust us again. But Cook basically takes the attitude. This was completely necessary. This got us our sailors back. I don't know there's any other way that we would have got them back.

It's greatly damaging to relations with the Tahitians, which Banks laments. He's like, I can't believe you did this. These people are never going to trust us again. But Cook basically takes the attitude. This was completely necessary. This got us our sailors back. I don't know there's any other way that we would have got them back.

and who knows how many people deserted the whole mission might have failed if i didn't get these people back so you know bad move good move i mean who knows uh it worked and it was cook style to you know he actually he really respected the natives he tried to not interfere with them whenever possible but if anything endangered the mission he was going to go to extreme measures do whatever it took to make sure that that mission was accomplished that's what he does here okay

and who knows how many people deserted the whole mission might have failed if i didn't get these people back so you know bad move good move i mean who knows uh it worked and it was cook style to you know he actually he really respected the natives he tried to not interfere with them whenever possible but if anything endangered the mission he was going to go to extreme measures do whatever it took to make sure that that mission was accomplished that's what he does here okay

So with these two guys now back on board, they set off again. And by the way, they not only get their sailors back, but they have actually picked up a new crew member. He's a Tahitian nobleman named Tupaya, and he would render really crucial service in navigation translation.

So with these two guys now back on board, they set off again. And by the way, they not only get their sailors back, but they have actually picked up a new crew member. He's a Tahitian nobleman named Tupaya, and he would render really crucial service in navigation translation.

You know, this is someone who has navigated these Polynesian islands before and knows where to go, how to get there, the best way to navigate. And he speaks the language and he knows Polynesian culture, religion, politics. He's going to help them avoid a lot of the pitfalls of the things they might do that would offend the locals, things like that.

You know, this is someone who has navigated these Polynesian islands before and knows where to go, how to get there, the best way to navigate. And he speaks the language and he knows Polynesian culture, religion, politics. He's going to help them avoid a lot of the pitfalls of the things they might do that would offend the locals, things like that.

So they're setting off for New Zealand, which was already known to exist. And they do, they make it to New Zealand and their reception there is very different from Tahiti. the locals there called the Maori and the Maori are immediately hostile. Okay. When they see the endeavor land, they run off and then they come back and attack the landing party. And one Maori is shot and killed.

So they're setting off for New Zealand, which was already known to exist. And they do, they make it to New Zealand and their reception there is very different from Tahiti. the locals there called the Maori and the Maori are immediately hostile. Okay. When they see the endeavor land, they run off and then they come back and attack the landing party. And one Maori is shot and killed.

So they're, they're very, they have a very martial society. They're very aggressive. Um, but the, relations do eventually improve somewhat, in large part thanks to Tupea, who is able to make himself understood quite easily. So actually, luckily, Maori and Tahitian are two of the languages in the Polynesian family that are most closely related.

So they're, they're very, they have a very martial society. They're very aggressive. Um, but the, relations do eventually improve somewhat, in large part thanks to Tupea, who is able to make himself understood quite easily. So actually, luckily, Maori and Tahitian are two of the languages in the Polynesian family that are most closely related.

And so they're mutually intelligible in a lot of ways. And that's because the Maori had arrived in New Zealand relatively recently, only in the year 1300. And they had come directly from the area around Tahiti. That's why the languages are so closely related. And Tupai is able to make himself understood quite easily. I still think actually...

And so they're mutually intelligible in a lot of ways. And that's because the Maori had arrived in New Zealand relatively recently, only in the year 1300. And they had come directly from the area around Tahiti. That's why the languages are so closely related. And Tupai is able to make himself understood quite easily. I still think actually...

It's not really remarked upon because no one else was able to appreciate it, but he must have been doing some clever translating at the same time. Like the languages are closely related, but they're not the same.

It's not really remarked upon because no one else was able to appreciate it, but he must have been doing some clever translating at the same time. Like the languages are closely related, but they're not the same.