Polynesian High Priest and star navigator, Tupaia, from Raiatea, a Tahitian island believed to be the cradle of Polynesian culture, played a crucial role in Captain James Cook’s voyage to the southern ocean in 1769/70. Tupaia was able to communicate well with Maori when they landed at Poverty Bay, today’s Gisborne, in October 1769, but the British showed that they had not come as friendly visitors, with the shooting of a number of Maori. Ros Bluett for ABC Radio National’s The History Listen tells this fascinating story, updated on 6 April 2020 at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-07/tupaia-star-navigator-helped-captain-james-cook-reach-australia/12092008