Crossing the Pacific

[Aidan Wilson]

Ha, reminds me a bit of the tenuous geneological connection between 
Dravidian languages and Australian languages based on place names (!) 
such as "Parramatta", which is in Sydney (or just outside - depending on 
how large you think Sydney spreads), and not even close to what should 
be the locus of communication between the Subcontinent and Meganesia.

A relative of a friend told me this one most recently (I'd heard it 
before), and his source? A dude that he knows sparingly who reads lots 
of historical linguistics books. Excellent.

-Aidan

Earl Otchingwanigan wrote:
> Kudos to those who have presented enthusiastic theories 
> including those of artistic license, but to bring you up to speed, 
> these theories are greatly outdated and invalid ~ through a recent 
> press release of a reputable unnamed source, substantial evidence has 
> been uncovered that a certain tribe of American Indians 
> traveled extensively world wide in ancient times both by sea and land 
> and being of cultural bearer status, enabled most of the other humans 
> they met in these strange and different lands to create 
> begin meaningful cultures and societies ~ indeed, recently, a eminent 
> ethnologist found an isolated group in Germany living in teepees and 
> wearing outfits with striking similarity to 19th century American 
> Indians. Cheers, Wayaaseshkang      
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Daryn McKenny <mailto:daryn at ARWARBUKARL.COM.AU>
>     *To:* ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU <mailto:ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
>     *Sent:* Monday, May 05, 2008 5:46 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [ILAT] Crossing the Pacific
>
>     Hi,
>
>     I am sure you have all seen this article then, it is an old one:
>
>     http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/430944.stm
>
>     I have just attended ILATC and I just felt like I was at home, an
>     amazing place with amazing people on amazing country, just like
>     home. I know we are related, Aboriginal people connect with
>     Aboriginal people.
>
>     But,we must have had really big trees to make our bark canoes back
>     then though.
>
>
>     Regards
>
>     Daryn McKenny
>
>     Arwarbukarl Cultural Resource Association Inc.
>
>     Read our Indigenous Language BLOG at
>     http://www.arwarbukarl.net.au/blog/
>
>
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: Indigenous Languages and Technology
>     [mailto:ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] On Behalf Of McMillan, Carol
>     Sent: Tuesday, 6 May 2008 6:11 AM
>     To: ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU <mailto:ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
>     Subject: [ILAT] Crossing the Pacific
>
>        As a biological anthropologist by training, and being wary of the
>     European penchant for wanting to have "discovered" everything, and
>     having read that even geneticists now say that the aboriginal
>     peoples of
>     Australia had to have had boats at least 40,000 years ago, and having
>     looked at the people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) vs. other Pacific
>     Islanders, and hearing about the Hawaiian sailing canoes that have
>     recently traveled to Alaska and returned, (and . . . and . . . ) I
>     believe it's time for us all to admit that indigenous people have been
>     traveling by sea for many thousands of years, back and forth between
>     continents.  I'm growing a bit weary of all the who-came-first
>     debates.
>     Perhaps it's all worth it if European and European-decent scholars in
>     general become less ethnocentric in their world views.  (I'm
>     Scottish, I
>     can say that.)  Maybe the debate shouldn't be about who had the
>     technology and ability to cross large bodies of water, but who was
>     motivated to do it in order to rape/pillage/plunder vs. those who went
>     to trade and/or visit with others.  That focus might put Columbus and
>     others into categories more appropriate to their conduct.
>
>     Sorry, I just had to weigh in here.
>
>     Carol McMillan
>