Nyassa, the former Portuguese colony in southeast Africa, once issued a striking stamp honoring Vasco da Gama, the “heroic explorer” celebrated for opening the sea route to India. But behind the polished portrait is a history the stamp doesn’t show. This video uncovers the dark side of da Gama: the brutal sieges, burned ships, tortured captains, and violent coercion he used to force trade dominance across the Indian Ocean. While Europe praised him as a maritime legend, the coastal communities he encountered remembered him for cruelty, intimidation, and destruction.