Michael Rockefeller

Jan Broekhuijse, 1961, Portrait of Michael Rockefeller, Gelatin silver print, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, LL/26660

Michael Rockefeller

Born: 1938
Died: 1961
Gender: Male
Active: New Guinea
 
He was a member of the Harvard's Peabody expedition team that went to New Guinea in 1961. He took over 5,000 black and white photographs of the Dani - warrior farmers who lived in the highlands of West Papua. The archive is held by the Peabody Musem of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University.
 
He is presumed to have drowned on November 17th or 18th 1961 when his catamaran foundered and he attempted to swim ashore at the mouth of the Eilanden River where it flows into the Arafoera Sea on the south (Asmat) coast of Irian Jaya. The details are uncertain as his body was never found and there were no witnesses.
 
(Information provided by Robert Gardner, Jan 4, 2008)

Genealogy of Michael Rockefeller

If you are related to this photographer and interested in tracking down your extended family we can place a note here for you to help. It is free and you would be amazed who gets in touch.
 
alan@luminous-lint.com