Joseph Kabris | |
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| Born | 1780 Bordeaux, France |
| Died | September 18, 1822 Valenciennes, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Sailor |
Joseph Kabris (1780 in Bordeaux – 23 September 1822 at Valenciennes), sometimes known as Jean-Baptiste, with alternate last names of Cabri, Cabry, Cabris, Kabrit, or Cadiche, was a sailor shipwrecked in 1795 in the Marquesas Islands, where he integrated into the local society, as evidenced by his full-body tattoos. After leaving the island, he was presented to the courts of Europe as an object of curiosity. Falling on hard times, he exhibited himself at fairs before dying of illness in the north of France at the age of 42.
The American writer Herman Melville is likely to have used Kabris’s life in forming the character of Ned Hardy in his second book, Omoo.