S1-E43: Tahiti: Rise & Fall

In this episode, the crew of the HMS Resolution finds Tahiti transformed. Where war once left scars, lush plantations now thrive. Yet beneath the surface of renewed peace, a different kind of upheaval takes hold. Red feathers, symbols of prestige, become currency for everything—from sacred mourning garments to scandalous propositions.

**On a rain-slicked ridge high above Matavai, Georg’s father loses his footing. The fall leaves him bloodied and limping—but not defeated – Click on the image to listen to this episode on YouTube.**

Georg’s father and Dr. Sparrmann venture deep into the mountains, collecting rare plants and climbing treacherous ridges. But nature strikes back: a fall leaves the elder Forster bloodied and shaken. Meanwhile, strange basalt formations and cascading waterfalls suggest a volcanic past that still shapes the island's future.

As trade intensifies, cultural boundaries blur. A chief offers his own wife to Captain Cook. Sacred traditions are bartered away. And a Tahitian boy named Nuna dreams of sailing to England—only to have his hopes dashed at the last moment.