S1-E28 Huahine: A Hunter Becomes Prey

Podcast 09 July 2025

In episode 28 of our journey with Georg Forster and Captain Cook, the HMS Resolution continues its passage through the Society Islands, revealing both the beauty and the deep emotions of Huahine and Raiatea. The episode opens with a moment of joy—Ori’s sons marvel at the sound of bagpipes—but soon turns tense as theft, confrontation, and a brutal attack on Dr. Sparrmann shake the fragile trust between crew and islanders. When Captain Cook intervenes, the consequences ripple through the local community, stirring grief, fear, and touching scenes of loyalty and compassion.

**Dr. Sparrmann lies dazed and wounded in the underbrush—once the seeker, now the hunted. – Click on the image to listen to this episode on YouTube.**

We follow the party to Raiatea, where new encounters with powerful chiefs and lavish dance rituals unfold. Generosity, ritual, and subtle diplomacy shape their stay, as the visitors gather gifts, plants, and stories. The episode ends with reflections on Polynesian geography and the legacy of Tupaia’s mysterious map—a reminder that some knowledge lies between memory and myth. Through all, Forster sees not a savage world, but a human one, where ambition, kindness, sorrow, and joy coexist.