The Mystery of the Disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in Papua

The mystery of the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller is one of the most famous missing person stories in the world. The great-grandson of John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate from the United States and the first richest person in modern history, was declared missing on November 19 1961 while collecting Asmat wood carvings in the interior of southern Papua. His tragic story inspired Broadway plays, novels, rock songs, and even a 1980s television show.

Adventurous Spirit Brings Death 

The mystery of Michael Rockefeller's disappearance began when he was 18 years old. At that time, his father was Nelson Rockefeller

holds an exhibition of primitive tribal art near their home in an upscale New York City neighborhood. He also has ambitions to collect traditional crafts from around the world to display in his family's most prestigious museum.

 After graduating from college, Michael joined the Harvard Peabody Expedition expedition group which was making a documentary about the Dani community on the slopes of Puncak Jaya. He then separated from the group on the grounds that he wanted to visit the Asmat tribe, which is famous for its carvings. 

In November 1961, aboard a catamaran purchased from the Dutch police. He and a Dutch anthropologist named Rene Wassing set off along the Arafura Sea to the southern part of Asmat. They planned to visit 13 Asmat villages in the coastal area, before the boat they were on capsized due to high waves.

 It is said that Michael was determined to swim towards the beach to catch two guides who had already gone to look for help. However, no one knows whether he managed to arrive at the shoreline which was 5 kilometers away. Michael Rockefeller disappeared at sea, while Wassing managed to survive after two days of hugging the hull of the capsized ship.  

Victims of Conspiracy and Cannibalism

News about the mystery of the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller quickly became the international spotlight. His father, who was then Governor of New York, launched a large-scale search with the help of the Dutch government. But to no avail! Michael was declared dead as a result of drowning three years later although his body has never been found until now. 

An American journalist named Carl Hoffman found it difficult to believe the news. The author of the book Savage Harvest believes that Michael actually made it to the beach. Unfortunately, he was killed at the hands of Asmat warriors who were on guard. His body was then eaten in a cannibalistic ritual.

Hoffman's findings slowly obscure the mystery of Michael Rockefeller's disappearance in the Asmat region. During his investigation, he managed to meet Hurbertus van Peij, a former Dutch Catholic priest in Papua who admitted that he had received a report about the death of a young white man. 

Not only that, several years before Michael arrived in Asmat, a series of wars and massacres occurred between the villages of Omadesep and Otsjanep. In the midst of this chaos, murder followed by the practice of cannibalism is again on the rise. 

Hoffman believes the Dutch government and the Catholic Church knew the truth behind the mystery of the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller, but chose to keep it a secret. They are worried that the fact that the son of the richest family in the world was murdered could affect the status of the Land of Papua, which the Dutch are desperately defending from Indonesia.