Re: [CH] Chilis in Africa 2
Dave Drum (xrated@cityscape.net)
Sat, 19 Jun 1999 22:33:14 -0500
Peter Moss wrote:
>
> > 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.
Beg to differ... this group is re-creating the ocean-going canoe
voyages of the Polynesian diaspora. They are navigating by celestial
navigation. The TeeVee reports and magazine articles were not specific
about mechanical aids but implied that none were being used that were
not present in the original canoes. They were *very* specific about NO
CHARTS.
A good deal of the information they use is contained in chants and
songs passed from generation to generation and tied in with their
pantheistic religon. IT's much like the begats etc. in the Genisis
book of the Xtian bible. Passed from generation to generation orally
until it was finally written down.
I have no eviddence - pro or con - that chiles moved from continent to
continent by this method. I was poking holes in the very ethnocentric
reference to Christobal Colon in 1492. Not all the ocean-going risk
takers were white Europeans. We must rekon with the Polynesians, the
aforementioned Dravidians, not to mention the Ethiopians - who were
known to be great voyagers well before Julius Caesar's time.
There will not be a definitive answer come from these discussions.
Heck, we don't even have all the questions - let alone the answers.
Just rejoice that there are chiles in almost all parts of the world
now.
ENJOY!!!
--
Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchens
Home of Yaaaah Hoooo Aaahhh HOT Sauce & Hardin Cider