Savage Harvest

The mysterious disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in New Guinea in 1961 has kept the world and his powerful, influential family guessing for years. Now, Carl Hoffman uncovers startling new evidence that finally tells the full, astonishing story.

Despite exhaustive searches, no trace of Rockefeller was ever found. Soon after his disappearance, rumors surfaced that he’d been killed and ceremonially eaten by the local Asmat—a native tribe of warriors whose complex culture was built around sacred, reciprocal violence, head hunting, and ritual cannibalism. The Dutch government and the Rockefeller family denied the story, and Michael’s death was officially ruled a drowning. Yet doubts lingered. Sensational rumors and stories circulated, fueling speculation and intrigue for decades. The real story has long waited to be told—until now.

Retracing Rockefeller’s steps, award-winning journalist Carl Hoffman traveled to the jungles of New Guinea, immersing himself in a world of headhunters and cannibals, secret spirits and customs, and getting to know generations of Asmat. Through exhaustive archival research, he uncovered never-before-seen original documents and located witnesses willing to speak publically after fifty years.

In Savage Harvest he finally solves this decades-old mystery and illuminates a culture transformed by years of colonial rule, whose people continue to be shaped by ancient customs and lore. Combining history, art, colonialism, adventure, and ethnography, Savage Harvest is a mesmerizing whodunit, and a fascinating portrait of the clash between two civilizations that resulted in the death of one of America’s richest and most powerful scions.

What startling truth did Hoffman uncover after fifty years of secrets?

• A Decades-Old Mystery: Retrace Michael Rockefeller’s final journey and his fateful 1961 encounter at the mouth of the Ewta River.
• Clash of Civilizations: Delve into the complex world of the Asmat—a society built on sacred violence, headhunting, and ritual cannibalism—and the Dutch colonial forces trying to control it.
• New Guinea History: Uncover never-before-seen Dutch government archives and witness testimony that reveal a fifty-year cover-up and a story far more complex than a simple drowning.
• A Shocking Conclusion: Follow Hoffman as he pieces together the evidence—from remote jungle villages to dusty archives—to finally solve the mystery of what happened to the Rockefeller heir.