Explorers definitely show remarkable courage. From delving into space and navigating underwater caves to sailing uncharted seas and uncovering new territories, their efforts have been crucial in mapping the world as we know it.
Michael Rockefeller, the son of former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, was engaged in such exploration when he made contact with a tribe known for cannibalistic practices.
In November 1961, 23-year-old Michael Rockefeller was on his second expedition to Dutch New Guinea—now known as West Papua, an Indonesian province on the island of New Guinea—accompanied by Dutch anthropologist René Wassing.
They aimed to explore the southwestern part of the country, specifically the Asmat region.
The duo was sailing in a large 40-foot canoe about three miles from shore when it capsized.
Wassing, who undertook the voyage to study the tribesmen, was rescued while floating in the Arafura Sea. However, Rockefeller was never seen again, and his disappearance remains a mystery.
Many believe that he washed ashore and was encountered by the cannibalistic Asmat tribe. However, there are pictures that suggest a different story altogether.
In fact, images may provide clues about what happened to Rockefeller after his mysterious disappearance all those years ago.
About a decade after his mysterious disappearance, National Geographic sent a film crew to Asmat, and their footage may have revealed the shocking truth behind Rockefeller’s fate.
The footage captured dozens of naked tribesmen rowing boats, and amidst them was a naked Caucasian man who bore a striking resemblance to Rockefeller.
While many quickly assumed the man in the footage was Rockefeller—given his prior contact with the Asmat tribe before the capsizing—the person who filmed the scene did not draw the same conclusion.
A skeptical Malcolm Kirk remarked, “I can’t say I was particularly aware of a light-skinned figure in one of the canoes, but I do recall coming across a reference to an albino male when I glanced through my journal a few weeks ago.”
But we aren’t going mad – surely not?
In 2011, Fraser Heston produced a documentary called The Search for Michael Rockefeller, focusing on Rockefeller’s story. It seems he aligns with our perspective.
In the documentary, he remarked, “This image of a bearded, light-skinned Caucasian paddling in a canoe with naked Asmat warriors raises more questions than it answers.”
“The resemblance to Michael Rockefeller, who was known for his bearded appearance and skill in canoeing, is strikingly clear.”
