In July 1774, a pivotal moment in Anglo-Pacific encounters occurred with the arrival of Mai (also known as Omai) in England, marking him as the first Polynesian visitor to reach Great Britain. Mai, a native of Raʻiātea, an island within the archipelago of contemporary French Polynesia, had an early life profoundly shaped by conflict. His displacement began when neighbouring Bora Bora invaded Raʻiātea. This conflict led to the death of his father and forced Mai and his surviving family to seek refuge on the island of Tahiti.
Mai’s narrative of upheaval continued even in Tahiti. In 1767, the island became a centre of European exploration and expansion when Captain Samuel Wallis, commanding HMS Dolphin of the British Royal Navy, made the first recorded European landing. Claiming the territory for King George III, Wallis initiated sustained European interaction with Tahiti and its inhabitants. This initial contact set the stage for subsequent voyages and, ultimately, Mai’s remarkable journey to Europe, transforming him from a displaced islander into a figure of academic and public interest in Georgian England. His presence offered an unprecedented opportunity for British society to engage with, interpret, and understand the cultures of the Pacific through the perspective of a victim of European exploration.
Mai's two-year stay in England marked a period of remarkable public prominence, elevating him to an almost celebrity-like status. His presence captivated British society, leading to an audience with King George III at Kew and regular attendance at the Royal Society as a guest of Joseph Banks, the British neo-classical sculptor. This period also saw Mai become a compelling subject for numerous British artists, eager to capture his likeness. Most notably, Sir Joshua Reynolds's 1776 masterpiece, The Portrait of Omai, stands as a seminal work from this era (fig.1, 1776). Reynolds depicted Mai in ceremonial Tahitian attire, set against a dramatic, evocative backdrop that subtly references the Pacific landscape. This striking painting, an enduring emblem of 18th-century British portraiture and a testament to the intricate relationship between artist and sitter, achieved the distinction in 2001 of becoming the second-highest-valued British painting ever sold.