Carl Hoffman on Michael Rockefeller’s disappearance

The story of Michael Rockefeller reminds me of that of John Chau, a young American missionary who went to North Sentinel island in India in an attempt to spread Christianity to a cannibalistic tribe that had never, in all of history, ever contacted modern humans. They ate him.

Rockefeller’s story does not involve such an isolated tribe but the tribe it does involve—the Papuan tribe at Asmat—shares a key similarity: they too were cannibals. How the chap disappeared remained a mystery for a long time, having been last seen in 1961 trying to swim ashore after his catamaran capsised. His fellow traveller, who stayed put by their boat, was saved but Rockefeller was never heard from again.

It turns out a long and complex story of distrust and fights between the tribes and Dutch colonial police forces form the events that led up to Rockefeller’s death. He happened to be amidst the tribe when they saw in him the perfect opportunity to retaliate. And they did as cannibals are wont to. Carl Hoffman’s article on Rockefeller and his disappearance in the Smithsonian Magazine is gripping, detailed and masterfully narrated.