Peter Bacos: Georg Forster - Around the World with Captain Cook

Sir Joseph Banks wanted to take on board two French horn players for his entertainment on Cook’s second voyage of discovery. The Admiralty declined this absurd request and instead offered the post as naturalist to the German polymath (Johann) Reinhold Forster who accepted on condition that his 17 year old son (Johann ) Georg accompany him. 

Dame Patsy Reddy, in her retiring address as governor – general said that one of the highlights of her period in office was Tuia 250 which commemorated the amazing voyages across the Pacific of the Polynesian navigators. 

No mention was made of Cook and certainly not the savant father and son who accompanied him. Our history is now being re-written by propagandists and every effort is made to downgrade the discovery of New Zealand by Europeans.