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Omai
Mai (c.1751-late 1779), known as Omai in Britain, was a young Ra'iatean man who became the second Pacific Islander to visit Europe, after Ahu-toru who was brought to Paris by Bougainville in 1768. Life Ma'i, born c.1751, described himself as a ''hoa'', or 'attendant upon the king', the son of a Ra'iatea landowner. His father was killed by Puni's Borabora warriors. Fleeing to Tahiti, Ma'i was wounded in the encounter with the ''Dolphin'' in 1767. Ma'i then became an apprentice to a priest. Returning to Ra'iatea, he was captured and taken to Borabora. Narrowly escaping death there, he escaped to Huahine. Omai met Samuel Wallis in 1767 and Captain James Cook in 1769 in Tahiti. In August 1773 he embarked from Huahine on the British ship , commanded by Tobias Furneaux, which had previously touched at Tahiti as part of Cook's second voyage of discovery in the Pacific. Omai travelled to Europe on ''Adventure'', arriving at London in October 1774 where he was introduced into ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Portrait Of Omai
''Portrait of Omai'' (also known as ''Omai of the Friendly Isles'' or simply ''Omai'') is an oil-on-canvas portrait of Omai, a Polynesian visitor to England, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, completed about 1776. Background Omai (real name Mai) left the Society Islands (specifically, Raiatea) with Commander Tobias Furneaux on his ship HMS ''Adventure''. The ''Adventure'' had left England in 1772, accompanying Captain James Cook on his second voyage of discovery in the Pacific, and visited Tahiti and Huahine in 1773. After visiting New Zealand, Omai arrived in England on Furneaux's ship in July 1774. Omai was admired by London society, staying with the President of the Royal Society Sir Joseph Banks and meeting King George III, Dr Samuel Johnson, Frances Burney, and other English celebrities. He returned to the Pacific with Cook's third voyage in July 1776, arriving back on the island of Huahine in 1777. He stayed behind after Cook left in November 1777, and Omai died the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omai (Mai), Sir Joseph Banks And Daniel Charles Solander By William Parry
Mai (c.1751-late 1779), known as Omai in Britain, was a young Ra'iatean man who became the second Pacific Islander to visit Europe, after Ahu-toru who was brought to Paris by Louis Antoine de Bougainville, Bougainville in 1768. Life Ma'i, born c.1751, described himself as a ''hoa'', or 'attendant upon the king', the son of a Ra'iatea landowner. His father was killed by Puni's Bora Bora, Borabora warriors. Fleeing to Tahiti, Ma'i was wounded in the encounter with the ''HMS Dolphin (1751), Dolphin'' in 1767. Ma'i then became an apprentice to a priest. Returning to Ra'iatea, he was captured and taken to Borabora. Narrowly escaping death there, he escaped to Huahine. Omai met Samuel Wallis in 1767 and Captain James Cook in 1769 in Tahiti. In August 1773 he embarked from Huahine on the British ship , commanded by Tobias Furneaux, which had previously touched at Tahiti as part of Second voyage of James Cook, Cook's second voyage of discovery in the Pacific. Omai travelled to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
