Cook led a scientific expedition to
observe the transit of Venus in Tahiti, circumnavigated New Zealand and
established that it was two separate islands, and nearly perished when the Endeavour ran aground on the world’s
largest coral reef. In 1779, on his third Pacific voyage, he was killed in
Hawaii.
Cook’s three Pacific voyages changed
contemporary understanding of the world. But they also had a dramatic impact on
the lives of those who inhabited the vast regions Cook explored. For many First
Nations peoples, this was merely part of a long saga of dispossession and
struggle for survival. While Pacific
Stories tells the story of cooperation and cultural exchange, it also
details confrontation and conflict. The book has a strong First Nations voice,
reflected in the essay by John Maynard.
The Library’s collections provide a
window into Cook and his complex legacy. Pacific
Stories allows audiences to celebrate, debate, question and understand the
voyage of the Endeavour—shedding new
light on Cook, the man and the myth. It explores Cook’s contribution to science
and navigation as well as his contribution to knowledge of the Pacific.
