LL
Joined: Aug 24, 2006
Posts: 788
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LL
The real "Kon-Tiki myth" is that Heyerdahl thought (those we call) the Polynesians came from South America. That is an oversimplified 'strawman' version of his theories. Read American Indians in the Pacific, for more detail and background.
As best I remember: Heyerdahl thought the Polynesians encountered by Europeans were descended primarily from Asians, who traveled the coast north, across into Alaska and down to the Pacific Northwest. From there, some migrated to Hawaii, and from there, to the rest of Polynesia.
They found some of the islands already somewhat populated... by descendants of the people who rafted from South America, bringing certain foods (e.g., sweet potato), and a penchant for monolithic stone carving. The Polynesians conquered them, assimilated some of the people and culture, and wiped out the rest.
Heyerdahl also encountered traditions and stories that many islands had an aboriginal people there, before the South Americans or Polynesians arrived. They were described as darker-skinned, of small stature and negroid-like features. These people the Hawaiians called the "Menehune"; the Maori and Rarotongans, the "Manahune".
Heyerdahl gave serious consideration to the chants, stories and traditions that had been passed down for scores of generations, and used them to help interpret archeological findings, in some cases.
Anyway, I can't remember nearly enough to do justice to Heyerdahl. He collected and studied an abundance of inter-disciplinary material, to form and bolster his theories (that book was over 800 pages). I'm also not saying Heyerdahl was correct. But I've noticed for decades that most experts who dismiss his "crank theory", or declare it's disproved, are not evaluating his actual theory at all.
[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2011-09-27 12:24 ]
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