Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefellers Tragic Quest

On November 21, 1961, Michael C. Rockefeller, the twentythreeyearold son of New York governor Nelson Rockefeller, vanished off the coast of southwest New Guinea when his boat capsized. He was on a collecting expedition for the Museum of Primitive Art, and his partnerwho stayed with the boat and was later rescuedshared Michaels final words as he swam for help: I think I can make it.Despite exhaustive searches, no trace of Michael was ever found. Soon after his disappearance, rumors surfaced that hed made it to shore, where he was then killed and eaten by the local Asmata native tribe of warriors whose complex culture was built around sacred, reciprocal violence, headhunting, and ritual cannibalism. The Dutch government and the Rockefeller family vehemently denied the story, and Michaels death was officially ruled a drowning. But doubts lingered and sensational stories circulated, fueling speculation and intrigue for decades. Now, awardwinning journalist Carl Hoffman reveals startling new evidence that finally tells the full, astonishing story.Retracing Michaels steps, Hoffman traveled to the jungles of New Guinea, immersing himself in a world of former headhunters and cannibals, secret spirits and customs, and getting to know generations of Asmat. Through exhaustive archival research, he uncovered hundreds of pages of neverbeforeseen original documents and located witnesses willing to speak publicly for the first time in fifty years.Savage Harvest is at once a mesmerizing whodunit and a fascinating portrait of the clash between two civilizations that resulted in the death of one of Americas richest and most powerful scions.