October 06
Thor Heyerdahl's  Birthday
 


Thor Heyerdahl was a
Norwegian anthropologist and archaeologist.best known for his archaeological expeditions Peru to Polynesia. aboard the Kon-Tiki, a tiny balsawood raft, that demonstrated that ancient peoples could have sailed to and populated the South Pacific. His adventures offered evidence that trade and cultural exchange could have taken place between Africa and the Americas as well as between Pacific Islanders and South Americans. Thor's account of his Pacific crossing, Kon-Tiki (1950). has been published in 67 languages and once inspired hundreds of hotels to open Kon-Tiki bars and restaurants.

Thor's interests in anthropology and archeology were encouraged by his mother
who was head of the local museum. in 1936, Thor and his new bride travelled took a memorable honeymoon trip in  1936 to the Marquesan archipelago in Pacific where he spent a year on a remote island living off the land ,getting to learn more about the native population which included a man whose father was a cannibal.

After serving in the Norwegian Army in World War II, Thor  headed a 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. He later wrote. "There were moments during every one of my experimental raft voyages that I was momentarily deadly afraid and - like seafarers throughout the ages in similar situations - I felt that I survived through my faith in some superior invisible power. Gradually, I got familiar with the friendly partnership between the dancing ocean and its gentle playmate - the flexible, wash-through aboriginal raft ship. My companions knew I loved life and assumed I had founded my unshakable faith in my scientific theories on solid facts."

Thor subsequently led the first archaeological expedition to Easter Island in 1955-56 where he discovered the now-famous Easter Island giant statues which he believed were constructed around  1100 AD when the Birdman Cult arrived and created them to honor their ancestors.

So to celebrate Thor's birthday, let's toast him with a Kon Tiki cocktail and rent a DVD of  his Academy-Award winning documentary film Kon Tiki (1950).

 

Kon Tiki Cocktail

Ingredients
 

2 oz Scotch whisky
1 oz dark rum
 
1 oz Cointreau orange ;Liqueur

 
Instructions
 
  1. Stir ingredients together in a cocktail glass
  2. Garnish with lemon peel, and serve

© 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes