SC - Re: Peanuts, Sweet Potatoes, Etc.

[margali]

> >History of Food, Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat (Translated by Anthea
> Bell); pg.
> >65.
> >
> >"The sweet potatoe comes from the equatorial forests of America. A
> widely
> >traveled tuber, it reached Polynesia two thousand years ago, and
> helps to
> >clarify the problem of contacts between the Pacific Islands and the
> north
> >coast of South America. It is an additional proof that
> Melano-Polynesian
> >migrations took place in ancient times. Until quite recently it was
> thought
> >that the sweet potato was introduced into Africa at the beginning of
> the
> >slave trade. We now have to put that date back several centuries,
> without
> >knowing how or why it got there. Perhaps across the Pacific, as the
> intrepid
> >Polynesian canoeists made their return journey from the coasts of
> Ecuador or
> >Columbia to the archipelagos, then on to either Malaysia and
> South-est Asia
> >or to East Africa by way of Madagascar.

I have to wonder at the geography of it all, isn't madagascar on the
SOUTH eastern coast of africa? I wouldnt think canooists would swing
that  far south to end up on the northern eastern shore, and why arent
there images of them in art, polynsesians having a look different from
the negroid and caucasian elements, and some dissimilarities from the
dravidian and indians as well?[above quoted by Al-Sayyid Ras]

> IWhat evidence is there for pushing back the date of arrival of the
> sweet
> potato in Africa?  Does this evidence stand by itself or does it
> require
> the support of weaker evidence or supposition?  For that matter, what
> is
> the evidence of a Portuguese introduction of these plants (says I
> having
> quoted authority, but not found the source)?
>
> The existence of certain plants and the similarities in agriculture in
>
> both the New and Old Worlds were once used to support the idea of
> Atlantis.  Since we are discussing a similar chain of evidence, what
> additional archeological/anthropological evidence supports the
> Polynesian spread theory?  Without the supporting evidence, these
> transfers could have been done by Barry Fell's Phoenicians or Charles
> Hapgood's Sea Kings or be naturally occurring.
>
> As I said, I need to read the book.  Maybe it will provide me some of
> the answers.
>
> Bear

I for one would like to settle this, i find it fascinating, and a
wonderful topic.

margali

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