The Meermin set sail from Madagascar en route to South Africa in 1766 with a Dutch crew and human cargo, slaves bound for hard labor building the Dutch colony, Cape Town. The slaves, led by a man named Massavana, mutinied and managed to overpower the Dutch crew. The ship ended up wrecked on a beach 200 miles east of Cape Town. This program tracks the efforts of archaeologists, historians, and slave descendents to discover the full story of this historical event and includes reenactments to help tell the story.

Originally broadcast on PBS November 10, 2010.