The Disappearance of Michael Rockefeller

Michael Rockefeller

An odd entry in American Lore

Michael Rockefeller was a quiet man. Grandson to John D Rockefeller, industrial and financial mogul, Michael was living amongst a family of wealth and intellect. Political and financial royalty.

His parents, Nelson Rockefeller and Mary Rockefeller were owners of several art museums, introducing young Michael to a realm of artwork beyond the western hemisphere. Garnishing an interest in Foreign work, Michael hoped to acquire some of the elaborate wood carvings of the Indigenous Asmat tribe of New Guinea. And just like that, twenty-three-year-old Michael Rockefeller set sail.

Asmat tribe cooking. Photo taken by Michael Rockefeller.

In the spring of 1961, Michael arrived in New Guinea with Dutch anthropologist René Wassing. Together they traveled between villages in their self-built catamaran. New Guinea had been undergoing colonization by the dutch for the past decade, though many people living on the island had still never seen a white man. There was certainly tension between the secluded tribes and the Dutch. Years before, there had been a violent altercation between the two. The Dutch retaliated with the murder of five tribesmen, some of whom were valued, community leaders. And with that, retribution was at hand. Oops.

Things seemed to be going smoothly. Until their boat was capsized just off of the coast. The two men waited on top of the capsized Catamaran for hours, with not much hope of seeing anyone any time soon. Frustrated, the young Rockefeller tied two empty gas containers to his hips and took off for shore. This was the last time he was seen.

Michael Rockefeller, 1961, New Guinea

As one might expect, his disappearance sparked a massive manhunt. Though after an aggressive search of the island, the young Rockefeller was presumed dead.

Michael would have had to swim twelve miles from his capsized boat to get to shore. His family, as well as authorities, believed Michael to have most likely drowned amongst the twelve miles of ocean. The case was eventually re-opened upon reports from dutch missionaries staying in New Guinea, claiming in detailed reports that Michael did not drown, but was killed and eaten alive by the Asmat tribe in an act of revenge against the dutch.

The violent retaliation by the Dutch years prior was not forgotten by the tribesmen. Dutch missionaries dedicated to converting the island to Christianity reported the Asmat tribe murdered the young Rockefeller as revenge. The Asmat tribe were cannibalistic, this was already confirmed. This would also confirm the Rockefeller family’s worst fear.

The Asmat tribe is known for its cannibalistic nature. During their ritual-based human dishes, it is customary not to waste any piece of the corpse; including dissecting and eating the brain. Upon further investigation into the Asmat people, it is believed that a translater overheard a tribesman warning others “Don’t tell them about the white man we killed.” Of course, by this point, there wasn’t much anybody could do. It would have been heinous to take revenge on an entire tribe, as these stone age societies have rarely seen anybody outside of their tribe. An utterly different world from ours.

Although we may not know what really happened to Michael Rockefeller…We can take our best guess…

We may never know the truth about the young Rockefeller…Though we can certainly take this entry from American Lore as a warning. Maybe Michael would have been better off if he had done a little more research into the relationship between the local tribes and the Dutch government trying to colonize them?

My name is Cordell Blundon, I am currently attending my second year of Professional Writing at Algonquin College. I enjoy old movies, anything vintage, and beer.