Away from their warring families, the young married couple from Hamburg, Ruth and Hinrich Mensing, are to begin a new life on the South Sea island of Hiva Oa. That is where Hinrich wants to convert the Hanatea tribe to Christianity; he considers the reports of cannibalism there to be exaggeration. With Ruth’s help, Hinrich actually manages to impress the Hanatea several times. Soon he is convinced that he is making good progress as a missionary. But when a rival tribe attacks the village, Hinrich comes to realise how much he underestimated not only his wife’s work but above all the old gods of the Hanatea.
