In September 1773 during Cook’s
second voyage Captain Furneaux of the Adventure took aboard
a young man of the island of Huahine near Tahiti. Omai became
the first South Sea islander seen in Britain. In his early
twenties, Omai became the darling of the London scene. He
was introduced to the King and Queen, wined and dined in high
society circles, and painted by the great artists of the time
before being returned to his native home in 1776.
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Portrait of
Omai
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Omai was painted by some of the great artists
of the time, including Joshua Reynolds, whose portrait shows
him in the ‘habit of his country’. Engravings
were produced from these paintings.
They capture Omai’s grace, ‘natural’ good
manners, genteel behaviour and deportment and, of course,
exotic appearance. For a short time he became a popular living
curiosity in society circles. A play based on his life, “Omai;
or a Trip Around the World”, was performed at the Theatre
Royal, Covent Garden, in 1785.
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The Native of
Otaheite at Court
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On 14th July 1774 Omai arrived in Portsmouth
aboard the Adventure. Just three days later, in the care of
Joseph Banks and Dr. Solander, he was presented to King George
III and Queen Charlotte at Kew, apparently declaring,
“How do, King Tosh!”.
The King gave him an allowance of money and lodgings in London.
Immediately news of this exotic visitor spread. He became
accepted in high society circles and was welcomed in the homes
of the nobility and gentry all over the country.
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The Native
of Otaheite Inoculated
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In his early twenties and in good health,
it was decided that Omai should be inoculated against small
pox. In the early 18th century there had been some success
in preventing this deadly disease which killed many people
in Europe. It was realised that people who caught smallpox
and survived became immune to it and so attempts were made
to deliberately expose people to the disease. Later in the
century Edward Jenner (1749-1823) pioneered vaccination against
small pox
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Omiah arrived
in York
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News of his entry into society was followed
by the arrival of Omai himself, accompanied by Joseph Banks,
in the North Country of England. Commodore Phipps of Mulgrave
Castle, Yorkshire, was their host. Omai bathed in the sea,
prepared luncheon in an umu or Polynesian earth oven and shot
game birds on the moors. |
