An orphaned baby boy is found in a beached canoe after a great storm and is adopted by Mailo, the island chief.
One day, Tama, disgusted with life in Pioi's household and his status as an outcast, decides to leave the island in a canoe he built.
Caught in a violent storm, Tama drifts ashore on an island which proves to be the home of a well-known and respected Polynesian trader, Johnny Lingo.
He invents some simple machines that enable him to finish his work faster and, through his diligence, earns Johnny's respect.
Eight years later, Johnny decides that a now adult Tama is ready to accompany him to a nearby island to conclude an important trade.
Tama single-handedly navigates back to Johnny's home to obtain a cow from his herd for the ransom, winning the trust of the chief steward in the process.
As the new Johnny Lingo, Tama sends the chief steward ahead of him to Malio's island to determine what has happened to Mahana.