The Tragedy of the Boyd describes the sinking of the 500 tonne sailing ship, a shipwreck created by a bloody act of revenge. Presenter Paul Gittins travels to Whangaroa Harbour in the Far North where, in 1809, local Maori slaughtered more than 60 passengers and crew. This savagery — and the cannibalism that followed — severely strained early Māori-Pākehā relations for decades. Gittins carefully examines the lead-up to the attack and former Race Relations Conciliator, and local resident, Hiwi Tauroa provides further context.
Paul Gittins presents a series that recounts tales of danger, courage and calamity on New Zealand waters. Gittins tells "personal stories of settlers, travellers, sailors and traders, people whose lives were changes forever in one moment of peril at sea."