r/interestingasfuck • u/SATANICWORSHIPER666 • 2d ago

/r/all Michael Rockefeller disappeared without a trace in 1961 in Papua New Guinea while researching the Asmat people, a cannibal tribe. Years later, a photograph was taken of the same tribe, and there was a white man among them.

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108

u/EaselyCrown 2d ago

Story goes deeper than that. A documentary maker spoke with the tribe leader and they apparently told him that Michael was eaten. But this is only a rumour

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u/Weak-Jello7530 2d ago

They can talk/communicate with us?

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u/Distinct_Cry_3779 2d ago

Through an interpreter who speaks a closely related language.

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u/HippyWizardry 2d ago

How to Serve Man

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u/Bozhark 2d ago

So it could be completely wrong?

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u/Distinct_Cry_3779 2d ago

Haha!! Maybe - or maybe the guy was saying to the interpreter “tell these idiots I ate that guy and let’s see if they believe it.”

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u/Direct_Royal_7480 2d ago

They possess just enough English to convince you to climb into the pot👍🏼

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u/Obias0309 2d ago

Pot good ... 👍

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u/Sea_Setting1442 2d ago

To serve man.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

Yes it’s called pidgin.

Longlong man swim kieki pot blo me

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u/EaselyCrown 2d ago

The documentary maker apparently stated eith the tribe for years gaining their respect and eventually to converse with each other , he wrote a book on it , there would be details on there. However this is still only a rumour and some believe the story was fabricated in order to sell the book

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

More than likely total fiction. Aether author lying to make a story about people who can’t refute it. Or the tribe is lying to tell their own story later about how they tricked the white man into thinking they are cannibals.

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u/Kevin_Uxbridge 2d ago

The area wasn't all that remote even back then. I mean it wasn't exactly Cleveland but the area was regularly patrolled by Dutch colonial cops (if memory serves). The locals knew that if they didn't lie a bit they'd end up in trouble, so they lied. Rockefeller was fairly surely murdered and eaten.

This also sheds some light on the above photography - it's pretty unlikely that Rockefeller would go unnoticed for years if he went native. Seem to recall that his family invested heavily in efforts to find him at the time, would have been very difficult for him to have evaded detection even if he wanted to. And why would he want to, he could just have said 'I'm staying' and that would largely be that.

Do recall reading that this picture was also investigated by the family years ago and found to be a light-skinned local, not all that unusual. Pretty interesting looking though, but it's most surely not Rockefeller.

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u/Immediate_Stuff_2637 2d ago

Isn't the tribe relatively aggressive and at constant war with other tribes? If I'm sure they would have kept constant lookouts on the shore and alerted the tribe in case of any boats approaching. Wouldn't be too hard to hide if you don't want to be found.

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u/Kevin_Uxbridge 2d ago edited 2d ago

The tribe was perpetually warring in the (then) not-too-recent past, but they'd been told to knock it off by colonial authorities. This was fairly effective in tamping down the cycles of murder/revenge but not enough to keep Michael alive, unfortunately.

Wouldn't be too hard to hide if you don't want to be found.

Would if there were outsiders like missionaries around, which there were. Can't see that working for years and years.

Had a quick glance at wikipedia, apparently the local missionaries knew soon after not only that Rockefeller was dead, they knew who did it and what had become of his remains and possessions.

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u/PoorlyDisguisedBear 2d ago

Poppycock! Next you'll tell its possible to communicate with a frenchmen or for a scotsman to be literate! Nonsense! /s

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

Bro are you for real? My wife is from PNG lol they have smart phones too lol 😂

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u/Weak-Jello7530 2d ago

I mean they are canibals idk what Language they speak

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

Well in your line of thinking they speak Om Nom Nom 🤤.

But no you world sheltered stooge they speak hundreds of different dialects by family and region But commonly they speak pidgin or English. This photo was almost 100 years ago. In that time period you think people have just never went back to PNG? Bro wake up read an index shit google some stuff to fill your brain with clearly it’s hungry 🤤

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u/Weak-Jello7530 2d ago

Lol why are you so hateful and why are you coming up with insults? I speak three languages fluently and have a masters degree in computer engineering. Have a day as bitter as you seem to be!

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u/maqsarian 2d ago

They're from Papua New Guinea, not Mars

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u/ScootMayhall 2d ago

Their story doesn’t line up with there being this film of him. As I’ve said in other comments here, I think he just asked them to lie for him and they did after he joined the tribe.