SC - Re: Peanuts, Sweet Potatoes, Etc.

[Decker, Terry D.]

>> >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,
<deleted>
>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]

Take a look at the generally prevailing currents.  I don't know which
way they run in the various areas of the Pacific, but a canoe would
probably follow them to take advantage of wind and water.

>> IWhat evidence is there 
<deleted>
>> 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

The diffusionist/anti-diffusionist debate has being going on for about
150 years and will probably go on forever.  I doubt if we will settle it
or even this part of it, but perhaps we can assemble some scholarly
information on the potato, sweet potato, yams and the dispersion of
various food stuffs for Stephan's Florelegium (that the spelling?).

I, for one, would still like to see that period German recipe for
potatoes if anyone can find it.

Bear 
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