"A Mysterious Disappearance."

"A Mysterious Disappearance."

Today, I am going to write the second and last part of this article for the memory of Michael Rockefeller (1938-1961).

Michael Rockefeller, the youngest son of former U.S. Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller, graduated at Harvard University in 1960 in the field of Anthropology and Ethnology. His young adventurous heart and his concentration to collect primitive art for his father's museum turned and changed his life forever.

Michael decided to pay a visit to Papua, New Guinea to study and investigate an ethnic group called "Dani", who were different from the rest of the Indonesians. He made his first tour to meet with tribal men who were hermits inside their own primitive culture. He took thousands of photos, and collected many artifacts which brought back home to the U.S. for his father's Museum of Primitive Art. Then, Michael decided to return to Papua for his second visit, yet this time, he was accompanied by another American Anthropologist. Unfortunately, Michael's journey was his last journey of no return. His mysterious disappearance in Papua's territory -wreathed in mist- is a great lost, not only for his family, but also for the world.

I shall give you a brief story about what I have read of Papua, New Guinea tribal men.

They are the last stone age or paleo-indigenous isolated people who are still dwelling up in the trees in remote areas of the jungle in Papua, New Guinea.

They are called: Korowai tribe, Kombai tribe and Papua Asmat tribe. They are among the last people on earth to practice cannibalism among their own tribes.

To me, it is really unthinkable in these modern days the fact that cannibals might still exist somewhere in this planet.

Cannibalism was practiced among prehistoric human beings, when they were short on food, and it lingered into the 19th century in some isolated South Pacific cultures.

But today, the Korowai are among the very few tribes believed to eat human flesh. They live about 100 miles inland from the Arafura Sea, which is where Michael Rockefeller disappeared in 1961 while collecting artifacts from another Papua tribe, and exploring their natural habitat.

Michael's body was never found.

Most Korowai still live with little knowledge of the world beyond their homelands. Many of them had never seen a white face, which they could fear and consider enemies.

Some are said to have killed and eaten enemies from other tribes which they called, "Khakhua." Korowais do not want outsiders to try to change their own culture. It is also known that Papua Asmat (hermits) tribes are the most dreaded cannibals.

The tall and strong Asmat tribal men are world renowned fantastic wood-carvers.

Some spectacular pieces of Asmat Art were posted in the Rockefeller's Museum of Primitive Art in New York City.

The precious objects were transferred to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, a special place of great worth to visit.

Will you visit "The Art Museum"? I wonder...

Thank you for stopping by and reading my posts!

I highly appreciate your visits and comments.

Have a blessed time!

Until we write again.

POET STARRY DAWN.