Untold Pacific History - Season 2 Episode 3: Papa Tom - From The Seas To The Stars

Papa Tom's quest for truth, history and culture has taken him around the world and even out of space, but it was in Aotearoa and the Cook Islands that it all began.
The extraordinary Kiwi Cook Islander who was the first person from NZ to work for NASA, was also one of the grandfathers of traditional vaka sailing in the Pacific. Sir Papa Tom Davis is still little known to many generations of young Pacific people and to the NZ public in general.
This mini-doco biopic will look at the life of this extraordinary Pacific Islander, who smashed new global frontiers in space and the ocean in a life that spanned so many fields of work.
Putting Polynesians out to sea and also into outer space, are just part of a long list of what he counted as significant moments in his lifetime, which saw him be the first Pacific Island Harvard graduate, a game-changing medical doctor in Aotearoa and the Cook Islands, and a champion boxer to boot.
Papa Tom’s story is an important one to tell as a more personalised view of Pacific history, and the inspirational way that game-changers were able to effect the course of history for Pacific people. Told via an archival interview with Papa Tom, and significant people from across the Moana and Aotearoa, this bio pic merges old Pacific worlds with the impact that Papa Tom had on modern generations today.
Additional Footage:
Papa Tom original interview - Tagata Pasifika, Sunpix Productions.
CITV thanks to Jeane Matenga
#WATCH the rest of Untold Pacific History Season 2 here! 🔗 www.thecoconet...

[@wongleslie]

Bula from Fiji..great documentary on a well known Pacific Island leader..true inspiration ❤🇦🇺🇼🇸🇹🇻🇹🇴🇫🇯🇨🇰

[@royceturia1562]

Read his book "Island Boy" - excellent reading. Detailing many things including Thermogenesis, Harvard, Gemini & Apollo program. He got the award for Pacific Islander of the Century in 1999 / 2000 and I also had the privilege of interviewing him while he was working on the massive Waka at Te Waananga o Aotearoa in Mangere. I am so glad and grateful that a new generation will now hear about him. As Cook Islanders and Polynesian people, we should all be very proud and inspired. Thank you Papa Tom - Kia Orana e Kia Manuia!!

[@UsoDak]

The history we all needed! Making Polynesians proud! The Apollo!!! Crazy!!! Thank you for the history…keep them coming please!

[@BarHawa]

Samoan here trying to learn more about our people as a whole. This is my introduction to Papa Tom and I'm absolutely fascinated by his life and legacy. Meitaki for sharing about all this. 🇨🇰❤️

[@nr8828]

WHAT a WARRIOR and a COOK ISLANDS LEGEND of a MAN. Done us very Proud PAPA TOM. RIP

[@georgemarie735]

As a NZ born Kuki that story was inspiring to see how courageous this man was in all his endeavours god bless ❤

[@jeffratu7567]

I am very bless to see this video and seeing one of our papa who see the world from a different angle. I don't know him personally but I heard part of his story as I grew up. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@adf12023]

Thank you.

[@tagaloa2798]

Very proud Samoan of the Polynesian tribe. ❤

[@CharismaticIslandBoy]

Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@KingRaro682]

Legend Papa Tom.. 🙌

[@sendawgs5203]

bruhhh hes the man..

[@JoshuaTutepourangiMakarika]

Cher papa tom I'm from Wichmann whanau Rarotonga ❤

[@kiwiwifi]

Polys are the most helpful people on the Earth (From a white kiwi)

[@dmcshane5329]

😮

[@turock101]

Praise jesus

[@Ishaymoana]

🤲🏾🌀👑🌺🇼🇸🇦🇸