Oceania - The Robert Louis Stevenson Collection
Robert Louis Stevenson was the most famous "palagi"(white man) to find his way to Samoa where he is held dearly in Samoan memories. Stevenson wrote the following poignant elegy, engraved on one face of his tomb which ends with the following lines.
Author:Jane RestureOct 14, 202249.9K Shares1M Views Robert Louis Stevenson was the most famous "palagi"(white man) to find his way to Samoa where he is held dearly in Samoan memories. Stevenson wrote the following poignant elegy, engraved on one face of his tomb which ends with the following lines:
And the hunter home from the hill.
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Robert Louis Stevenson's tomb lies atop Mount Vaea on Upolu, Samoa.
During the late 19th century, Robert Louis Stevenson traveled extensively throughout the islands of the Pacific.
He made a photographic record of his journeys which have encapsulated life in the Pacific Islands at this time.
The images below are of some of the people that Stevenson met during his journey.
Left: King Mataafa of Samoa. Right: King Mataafa's rival, Tamasese Left: King Mataafa's natural daughter. Right: Queen Vaekehu and her adopted daughter. Princess Ka'iulani of Hawaii Gilbertese (Kiribati) woman preparing poi-poi (babai) Harem and little son of Tem Binoka on board the Equator passing from Aranuka to Abemama Interior of the maneaba of Tem Binoka's harem Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson with Nan Tok and Nei Takauti at Butaritari, Kiribati "God's sweetest work - Polynesians"