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“… the oceans were not barriers, but roads. Not impediments, but pathways.” -Thor Heyerdahl
My column last week spoke to the arrival to Barbados 50 years ago this month of the RA II vessel. Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian explorer, had set out in May 1970 from the port town of Safi in Morocco, North Africa in a papyrus reed boat he named RA.
It was his second attempt to travel in a reed boat from Africa to Barbados as the first attempt in 1969 was unsuccessful. The Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway describes the RA’s journeys:
“In 1969, the RA was constructed of local papyrus reed in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. It was then transported to the Moroccan coastal town of Safi, where it was launched.
“Heyerdahl assembled a crew of seven men, all from different nations. He intended to demonstrate how a manifold group could cooperate effectively under stress and difficult conditions. The crew consisted of Norman Baker (US), Carlo Mauri (Italy), Yuri A. Senkevich (Russia), Santiago Genoves (Mexico), Abdullah Djibrine (Chad) and Georges Sourial (Egypt), in addition to Heyerdahl himself.
“The papyrus boat traveled 5, 000 kilometers in eight weeks, despite its inadequate construction and a broken helm. But the reed fiber absorbed much water, and Heyerdahl feared that the RA would sink with its entire crew on board. He therefore aborted the expedition, just a week shy of reaching their destination, Barbados.
“Ten months later, Heyerdahl launched the RA II from the same Moroccan port. This time, he commissioned four Aymara Indians from Lake Titicaca to build the reed vessel. Reed boats similar to those from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt were still being made by craftsmen from this area in the Andes mountains.
The crew from the first RA voyage, except Abdullah Djibrine, joined the new expedition. The crew consisted of Norman Baker (United States), Carlo Mauri (Italy), Yuri A. Senkevich (Russia), Santiago Genoves (Mexico), Kei Ohara (Japan) and Madani Ait Ouhanni (Morocco), in addition to Heyerdahl himself.
“The new boat was shorter than the first, but far more durable in construction. The RA II sailed the 6, 100 kilometers from Morocco to Barbados in 57 days. The longstanding dogma that there could not have been any contact between the Mediterranean region and South or Central America prior to Columbus’ discovery was disproved.
“During the voyage on board the RA, the crew noted that the Atlantic Ocean was polluted – they encountered oil clumps of varying sizes on the ocean surface.
“They reported their findings to the United Nations (UN), and on the subsequent RA II journey, Heyerdahl was asked by the UN Secretary-General U Thant to make daily observations of oceanic pollution. Oil clumps were encountered on 43 of the voyage’s 57 days.
“Heyerdahl presented reports regarding oceanic pollution on various occasions including at the UN’s third Conference on the Law of the Sea. In 1972, the international community passed a ban on dumping of waste oil in open seas.”
The significance of this journey and its successful end in our Careenage in Bridgetown 50 years ago this year, cannot be ignored. I am very pleased and honored to have worked with the Barbados Museum and Historical Society and the Kon-Tiki Museum these past few months putting together a commemoration for this occasion. I have realized that many Barbadians are not aware of this voyage and Barbados’ involvement.
Last Sunday, we assembled at the Careenage in a symbolic gesture to mark the 50 years since the arrival. Three Barbadians of three different backgrounds, Mr William Burton, Ms Gercine Carter and Mr Sabir Nakhuda, spoke of their presence on the Careenage that Sunday, July 12, 1970 when the RA II came ashore. They recalled hundreds of Barbadians converging at the Careenage awaiting the arrival of the RA II and bursting into applause as it entered.
As I listened to their recollections, I wondered how in those days without social media and instant messaging, could word spread so quickly that made people turn up in their numbers. Prime Minister at the time, the Right Excellent Errol Barrow, other Ministers of Government and dignitaries were also on hand to greet the RA II vessel and its crew.
Journalist Gercine Carter was there reporting for the Nation. I could imagine it may have been a special assignment for her as she was also present 50 years earlier as a young journalist covering the arrival of RA II for the Advocate News.
What was commemorated and celebrated last Sunday, which coincidentally was around the same time, space and day 50 years on, was not only an outstanding achievement by the Norwegian explorer and his crew; we commemorated a connection between the African continent and the peoples of this region that spans more than a thousand years.
What Thor Heyerdahl proved by this perilous journey in a simple vessel made of papyrus was that the travel of Africans from the continent to this part of the world was possible, true, and did indeed happen. And happened long before Columbus and the Europeans came.
Earlier this year we had hoped that several activities would take place around this event but due to the pandemic these plans had to change. Nevertheless, the Barbados Museum organized a Webinar and had several distinguished speakers who spoke to the significance to Barbados past, present and future of this voyage.
Among the speakers were the Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, the Honorable Kirk Humphrey. He was passionate about RA II’s importance and the many lessons we can learn from Thor, his crew and the voyage, resilience, courage and the ability to persevere against all odds. He felt that the much touted maritime museum needs to take shape and include the RA II in this initiative.
Other speakers included Dr Abdullah Hakim Quick, African historian and Islamic scholar; Martin Biehl, Director of the Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway; Sir Trevor Carmichael, President of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society and Ms Alissandra Cummins, Director of the Barbados Museum. And by chance, the son of one of the builders of RA II from Lake Titicaca in South America joined in.
Included in the Webinar was a video greeting by the two daughters of Thor Heyerdahl, Bettina and Marian, who as young girls were here in Barbados with their mother in 1970 awaiting the arrival of their father. They spoke about their experience and feelings at the time and they remembered the warmth and hospitality of the Barbadian people.
Dr Quick made the point that events like these need to be highlighted for they change Euro-centric narratives of history that prevail about our part of the world. They also serve to boost our self-esteem knowing that our African fore-fathers achieved great feats, and it was not only one race or group of people that did so, according to some historians.
Sir Trevor Carmichael highlighted the impact of environmental awareness that came about from the RA II’s voyage and the significance of the multinational crew in showing the beauty of human interaction and its potential to build bridges and create linkages.
I have suggested that this voyage and its significance to Barbados be taught in our schools so that our generation and all future generations will be aware.
The quote I started with is from Thor Heyerdahl in the movie Kon-Tiki. A movie of RA II can also be commissioned and Barbados can feature prominently, once again putting us on the world stage.
Suleiman Bulbulia is a Justice of the Peace; Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association; Muslim Chaplain at the Cave Hill Campus, UWI and a Childhood Obesity Prevention Champion. Email: suleimanbulbulia@hotmail.com.
