Kon-Tiki Set Sail 79 Years Ago Today
7 hours ago
- #Kon-Tiki expedition
- #Thor Heyerdahl
- #Polynesian migration
- Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition aimed to prove that Polynesia was populated by South Americans.
- Heyerdahl's hypothesis contradicted archaeological, genetic, and cultural evidence supporting the Austronesian expansion from Southeast Asia.
- The Kon-Tiki voyage was pseudoscientific and racially controversial, suggesting Polynesia was settled by 'white bearded men'.
- The Hōkūleʻa expedition in 1976 debunked Heyerdahl's Eurocentric views through traditional Polynesian navigation.
- Despite its scientific flaws, Heyerdahl's journey remains a popular story of adventure and human conviction.