Re: [CH] Chiilis in Africa 2
Peter Moss (pmoss@yoda.alt.za)
Sat, 19 Jun 1999 20:01:12 RSA-2
> Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 19:04:43 -0500
> From: Dave Drum <xrated@cityscape.net>
> The rafting expeditions of Thor Heyerdaal (both Kon Tiki and
> the reed thing) demonstrate that transoceanic voyages were
> certainly possible and were very probably made... well before
> 1492.
> And what of the oceangoing Polynesian canoes? A repro one of
> those is headed for Easter Island as I type this. This
> particular vessel has logged over 100K miles (160K kilometers)
> prior to the Easter Island trip. If they could hit Easter
> Island surely they could call in ar the South Amerian
> continent as well as Asia.
Hind sight is 20:20 vision and the current canoe tourists know
where they want to get and have ocean current charts, maps and
all navigation aids to make it possible. This accomplishment
does not begin to explain how the polynesians did it without all
this knowledge and navigation aids.
What has to be figured in is what is the chance of someone
without this knowledge and navigation aid achieving this feat
of navigating to a small island 2000 miles away in a canoe ;-)
Not knowing the island existed in the first place. If we accept
that all this knowledge is essential to the success of the trip
where did the polynesians get it and why is there no evidence of
it now if they had it. If the trip is one way how did the
knowledge get back?
This does not detract from the fact that they did get to all
these places, only mystery is the way or how they did it. From
memory there is a genetic line (DNA) back to the Indians of the
main land of South America. Sorry I have no references on this
one but have it pigeon holed in my memory.
American continent and other parts of the world. The atomic
centre of chiles is the north of South America. No point in
worrying about the exact location. Peru, Bolivia, Amazonia
There is plenty of time for this to have taken place since the
known use of chile in South America is from 7000 BC.
> I don't think that peppers got as widespread in the world as
> they have become solely as a result of the Nina, Pinta and
> Santa Maria.
If Ibn Battuta mentions eating chiles in Africa in the 1330s,
this clearly predates Columbus's voyages. What we can assume is
that the european traders did not have chiles before Columbus.
C. fructescens is common throughout Africa and has become a land
race type. It is spread by both humans and birds. Common name
pila-pila (chile) or something that sounds very similar.
Peter
-- Peter Moss
"Well, let's just say, 'if your VCR is still blinking 12:00, you
don't want Linux'". - Bruce Perens