Savage Harvest by Carl Hoffman

Reviewed by Jeanne

For decades, the name “Rockefeller” has been synonymous with wealth and power. John D. and William Rockefeller established Standard Oil Company in 1870, at a time when the petroleum industry was in its infancy.  Unlike many wealthy families, the Rockefellers have managed to hang on to most of their wealth, with succeeding generations following the philanthropic pattern set up by John D. 

  

Nelson Rockefeller, grandson of John D., opened the Museum of Primitive Art in New York to showcase the works of indigenous artists from around the world. Nelson’s son, Michael, went to New Guinea to find possible additions for the collection. He was working with a Dutch anthropologist filming, collecting data, and generally attempting to document native cultures.  On November 19, 1961, their pontoon boat was swamped.  After waiting some hours for help, Michael said, “I believe I can make it to shore.”  He swam off, and vanished.

The disappearance made headlines around the world.  Nelson Rockefeller, then governor of New York,   chartered a plane and flew to New Guinea to search for his son, but in vain:  no trace of Michael was ever found.  The questions lingered.  Did he drown?  Was he killed by a crocodile? A shark? Or was there a darker explanation?

That part of New Guinea was home to groups which practiced cannibalism as part of their rituals. The Dutch authorities insisted that such rituals had ended, and that the region was an emerging new nation eager to trade with the West. But rumors persisted.

Carl Hoffman, a journalist and award-winning travel writer, decided to retrace Michael’s ill-fated journey to see if he could uncover any facts about the case.  The book opens with what Hoffman believes to have happened to Michael; the rest of the book is an exploration of place and culture, along with a great deal of delving into Dutch archives. The surprises are not so much in revealing what Hoffman believes to have happened-- that scenario is presented early in the book-- but in how much was actually reported to officials at the time but suppressed.  The result is an interesting look at colonialism, international politics, the Asmat culture, and the Rockefeller family.