4 ms·

Along these lines let's not forget the Kon Tiki expedition. In 1947 Heyerdahl & crew wanted to show if, using a simple raft, South Americans could have reached

Along these lines let's not forget the Kon Tiki expedition. In 1947 Heyerdahl & crew wanted to show if, using a simple raft, South Americans could have reached Polynesia in the era prior to Columbus in 1492. Modern genetic analysis now seems to back up his idea long after he made his successful voyage. https://www.kon-tiki.no/expeditions/kon-tiki-expedition/ https://www.kon-tiki.no/expeditions/kon-tiki-expedition/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_expedition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_expedition

eitland 4y ago
I think modern genetic analysis has proven Thor Heyerdahl wrong. From the linked article: > Heyerdahl's hypothesis of Polynesian origins is overwhelmingly rejected by scientists today. Archaeological, linguistic, cultural, and genetic evidence all support a western origin (from Island Southeast Asia) for Polynesians via the Austronesian expansion.
ericd 4y ago
There was a great movie shot by the sailors before and during their voyage, I think called Kon-Tiki, and released in 1950 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_(1950_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_(1950_film) ). It used to be up on Youtube, but I can't seem to find it. If anyone can dig up a link, it's very worth a watch. IIRC, they're almost hilariously casual about the whole thing, and they just went and crossed the Pacific on a raft of logs, with little support.
eesmith 4y ago
It was a bit more than "could have reached Polynesia." As your Wikipedia link points out: > Heyerdahl's hypothesis was part of early Eurocentric hyperdiffusionism and the westerner disbelief that (non-white) "stone-age" peoples with "no math" could colonize islands separated by vast distances of ocean water, even against prevailing winds and currents. He rejected the highly skilled voyaging and navigating traditions of the Austronesian peoples and instead argued that Polynesia was settled from boats following the wind and currents for navigation from South America. As a sort of mirror image of Kon-Tiki, the 1976 Hōkūleʻa trip from Hawaii to Tahiti - using traditional non-instrument wayfinding methods from one of the last Polynesian master navigators, Mau Piailug - conclusively demonstrated that viewpoint wrong.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

eitland 4y ago

I think modern genetic analysis has proven Thor Heyerdahl wrong. From the linked article: > Heyerdahl's hypothesis of Polynesian origins is overwhelmingly rejected by scientists today. Archaeological, linguistic, cultural, and genetic evidence all support a western origin (from Island Southeast Asia) for Polynesians via the Austronesian expansion.

ericd 4y ago

There was a great movie shot by the sailors before and during their voyage, I think called Kon-Tiki, and released in 1950 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_(1950_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_(1950_film) ). It used to be up on Youtube, but I can't seem to find it. If anyone can dig up a link, it's very worth a watch. IIRC, they're almost hilariously casual about the whole thing, and they just went and crossed the Pacific on a raft of logs, with little support.

eesmith 4y ago

It was a bit more than "could have reached Polynesia." As your Wikipedia link points out: > Heyerdahl's hypothesis was part of early Eurocentric hyperdiffusionism and the westerner disbelief that (non-white) "stone-age" peoples with "no math" could colonize islands separated by vast distances of ocean water, even against prevailing winds and currents. He rejected the highly skilled voyaging and navigating traditions of the Austronesian peoples and instead argued that Polynesia was settled from boats following the wind and currents for navigation from South America. As a sort of mirror image of Kon-Tiki, the 1976 Hōkūleʻa trip from Hawaii to Tahiti - using traditional non-instrument wayfinding methods from one of the last Polynesian master navigators, Mau Piailug - conclusively demonstrated that viewpoint wrong.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]