". He was also tall, handsome, strong, athletic and extraordinarily intelligent, all of which qualified him to be one of the select few taught at the greatest marae in all Polynesia, Taputapuatea at Opoa, on Raiatea’s southern coast. It paid off in a huge way for the British. Tupaia’s death and legacy. In November 1770, Tupaia died from either dysentery or malaria, both of which were present aboard Endeavour during its berthing for repairs in Batavia. As they travelled up Australia's coastline, he fell ill with scurvy.

Historian Dame Anne Salmond says Tupaia knew the islands well. Lieutenant James Cook unrolled his "special orders" — to sail south in search of the great southern continent. But it's also historically incorrect. Goldfields and Great Sandy Desert sites add 7 million hectares to Indigenous Protected Areas, Kevin Bacon eyeing Planes, Trains and Automobiles reboot role, Married at First Sight on Channel 4 could well become 'divorced at first chance', Arsenal 'to loan out £27m defender William Saliba to Brentford', Canary Islands see new influx of African migrants, Doctors say face masks should be mandatory inside and outside, NSW Covid hotspots: list of Sydney and regional case locations, Sia adopted her sons after seeing them in a documentary, Victoria Beckham divides opinion with controversial new accessory, Valtteri Bottas beats Lewis Hamilton to claim Eifel F1 GP pole for Mercedes, Trump addresses supporters at White House, before Florida rally, Treasurer rejects criticism of jobs scheme, Pieces of wetsuit found in search for missing surfer, How William really felt about Meghan becoming a member of the royal family, Joe Wicks on his MBE: ‘It’s my proudest achievement and I feel honoured’, South Sydney Rabbitohs defeat Parramatta Eels 38-24 to reach NRL preliminary finals, Germany tightens COVID-19 restrictions as numbers surge in Europe, Victoria 'unlikely' to have lockdown eased next Sunday as hoped: Andrews, 'Alarming rate' of second home buy up on Anglesey needs to be halted, protesters urge, Geelong thumps Collingwood by 68 points to progress to AFL preliminary finals, Dr Birx says Covid is now spreading in homes and she fears upticks in some of best-performing states, Republicans risk election 'bloodbath,' Senator Cruz warns, Delta leaves soggy mess in already storm-battered Louisiana, Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article, This Pillowcase Is Quickly Becoming The Must-Have Gift Of 2020, Do This To Permanently Fix Bad Posture (And Ease Back Pain), Turn Your Old Computer To Like New Again - Blazing Fast. Historian and emeritus professor Geoff Irwin says he's sure Cook paid attention to Tupaia. Nearly all the Endeavour crew got sick, including Banks.

Tupaia tried multiple times but couldn't communicate with the Indigenous people. FBI, Twitter investigate Steve Scully's claims his account was hacked, Pieces of wetsuit found in search for WA surfer attacked by shark, Secret UFO dossier about famous UK sighting restricted from public for another 50 years, The 'Welsh Rip Van Winkle' and other bizarre legends of north east Wales, Cats obliterate Magpies in bloodbath for the ages, Johnson and Macron hold talks on coronavirus and Brexit, Debt may be cheap, but the UK's poor productivity will cost us dear, Investors and graduates flock to UK's burgeoning windfarms, Gemma Collins 'set to address the Cambridge Union', Walk in shower ideas: 7 looks to add some luxury to your bathroom, Teenager Swiatek dazzles in Paris to claim first Grand Slam title, Tropical depression Delta brings heavy rain and wind to the Gulf Coast, Face masks made compulsory in public in Tehran as COVID toll rises. In October 1769, the Maori of Aotearoa witnessed a luminous sight on the horizon. Tragically, Tupaia died at Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) from diseases contracted during Endeavour’s stay there. Botanist Joseph Banks wrote in his journal: "We never expected him to have so much influence.". Alongside his crew of talented English scientists was Tupaia, a Polynesian high priest and star navigator, and his young apprentice Taiata. She says the same thing happened with our understanding of how the Pacific was explored. "They thought that the Endeavour was Tupaia's ship because he was the one that could speak to them. "The East Polynesian languages are related, like the romance languages of Western Europe. "It was there in the original logs and journals, but for 250 years Tupaia was a forgotten figure, despite the pivotal role that he played in the voyage," Dame Anne says. Cook claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown, naming it New South Wales. As a sweetener, Banks offered to pay for the Polynesians' board on boat and share his cabin. "He knew what the winds were. He was able to understand the local Maori people, and they him. White sails billowed. A young Maori chief was shot dead by the British. "It was that mixture of skills that probably kept them both alive and got Cook to where he was. Historians say Tupaia played a critical role in helping the Endeavour reach New Zealand. His status on board the ship was marginalised. He was keen to get help from the British to win back his home island of Raiatea.

He introduced the English to local chiefs and took the officers through ceremonies that allowed them to arrive safely on islands. "These guys [were] working together, whether they were trying to or not," he says. And a few days later, on November 11, 1770, a heartbroken Tupaia died too. An extraordinary craft, high above the water, blazed from the sea. "The story might have gone south very quickly.". Probably the dominant figure on board the Endeavour," Dame Anne says. "And today we wake up to see where Tupaia will bring us to next," Banks wrote. They sailed south. "The world itself paid tribute to the Europeans, who came so much later and have claimed them to be the discoverers and explorers of the Pacific," she says. Everywhere they went Tupaia heard people calling his name.

Cook recorded his passing in his journal: "He was a Shrewd, Sensible, Ingenious Man, but proud and obstinate which often made his situation on board both disagreeable to himself and those about him, and tended much to promote the deceases that put a period to his life." Cook and Banks returned home as heroes, but Tupaia and his work were overlooked, and then forgotten. On the first day Tupaia stayed on the ship. "It must have been clear to those on board that Tupaia was a remarkable and distinguished person of high rank," Professor Irwin says. In March 1770, Cook gave up hope of finding the great southern continent and set sail for the east coast of Australia.

It was a tremendous boon to Cook to have someone on board who could communicate with Maori," Professor Irwin says. "The argument's been made multiple times that Cook never would have made it to Australia if it wasn't for Tupaia in New Zealand," Mr Chetty says. Once in Australia, when it became apparent that Tupaia could not communicate with its indigenous peoples, his influence and status aboard waned. "He was a high priest, navigator from the homeland, and he could say what he liked about his European companions.".

Auckland Museum's Kavi Chetty says the Endeavour crew needed food, water and safe harbour and all of that had to be done through deals with the Maori. Word spread up and down the coast faster than the ship. Word spread up and down the east coast of New Zealand before the Endeavour reached land: a leader in strange clothing, captaining a strange ship had arrived. Following a squiggle on a chart done by Abel Tasman in 1642, the Endeavour arrived in New Zealand at dawn at Poverty Bay in what is now Gisborne.

His family was one of the élite of Raiatea, in the Society Islands, with extensive landholdings in the north. He knew that more than Cook but he shared that information with Cook and Cook was able to observe what Tupaia knew," he says. He was able to understand the local Maori people, and they him. ", Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Former New Jersey Governor Christie leaves hospital after COVID-19 treatment, Where you should invest now to make money and get a house bargain, Lady Louise Windsor, 16, enjoys carriage driving lesson in Windsor, DIY fireplace: how to transform your hearth using just paint, Brad Arthur details the incredible phone call he made to young Haze Dunster to inform him of his debut, Paris Hilton leads protest calling for closure of Utah school. Two months earlier, having sighted the June transit of Venus, HMB Endeavour had departed Tahiti. After consecration as a tahua, or priest, with star navigation as his speciality, he moved on to a three-year cadetship with the arioi society, an an… Tupaia's people had recently been defeated in war by the neighbouring Bora Bora people, and had lost their land.

Tupaia suggested they sail east toward Tonga, but Cook had orders to look for Terra Australis Incognita — the unknown southern land. "For the local Maori, it's quite clear that Tupaia was regarded as a very important figure. Cook's erstwhile Polynesian associate, Tupaia, facilitated much of this. © Provided by ABC NEWS

They then sailed north to Batavia, which is now Jakarta. The English thought they'd reached the "unknown southern continent", not realising this was yet another Polynesian island. A young Maori chief was shot dead by the British. Tupaia accompanied the crew ashore the next day. But it was not only goods and ideas that were exchanged. Despite eating fresh fruit and healing from scurvy, both Polynesians also fell ill. Taiata died first. "Star paths were a major feature of Polynesian navigation as well as the currents and the birds," Dame Anne says. More Maori were shot. He knew the depth of the water, and where the reefs were. After Tupaia’s death, Captain Cook remarked that ‘He was a ‘Shrewd, Sensible, Ingenious Man, but proud and obstinate which often made his situation on board both disagreeable to himself and those about him, and tended much to promote the diseases which put a period to his life.’’ More Texans could turn Democrat this election.

They found him as strange as the Europeans. Intrigued by the streets, houses and people, Tupaia and Taiata spent much time outdoors, but the city had open sewers and was riddled with disease. When it was time to depart, he convinced Cook that Tupaia's knowledge of the surrounding islands and his authority amongst his people would be helpful to the voyage. Tupaia accompanied the crew ashore the next day. (Illustration: Mat Tait/Supplied: Auckland Museum). Inquisitive locals came out to see the Endeavour.