Davis Disputes 'Kon-Tiki' Theory at Dunster Forum

The skipper of the "Miru" challenged the "Kon-Tiki" theory last night.

In a talk at Dunster House Thomas R. A. Davis made it clear that his own voyage across the Pacific did not invalidate "Kon-Tiki" as an anthropological expedition. He said he formed his opinion from his knowledge of the South Pacific waters and the Polynesian tribes.

Davis, the Cook Islands' chief surgeon who sailed 10,000 miles to attend the School of Public Health, said "Kon-Tiki" skipper Thor Heyerdahl considered most of the cultural similarities between the Peruvians and the Polynesians when he said the South Americans settled in Polynesia, but he neglected to consider the differences in the social structures and religions of the two groups.

"This shows that the theory could be explained in an entirely different way," he said.

Speaking before more than 200 people in the Dunster House Dining Hall, Davis described his journey and interesting experiences along the way. The talk was sponsored by the Dunster House Forum Committee.

Davis was the first man ever to sail eastward across the South Pacific during the winter. He made the voyage in a 48-foot ketch with a crew of two, his wife, and two sons. On November 2nd, after five months of sailing, his boat arrived in Cambridge.

When asked whether he planned to sail back to his home, Davis answered, "I don't go tripping around the world at will, but there's a chance I'll return by sailing craft. The currents and winds would make the westward trip a joy ride."