[Coral-List] did ciguatera cause Polynesian exploration?

[Douglas Fenner]

Good points, I agree.  I think I might have met Rongo.  When the Pacific
Arts Festival was held here, maybe 15 yrs ago, a recreated voyaging canoe
from the Cook Is sailed here.  I talked with one guy involved with it, and
he's the one that said the oral history gives the name of the guy who led
it, how many trips, etc.  He said people say they were looking for new
land, but he said that they were looking for a place where they could be
chiefs, that would be a place without chiefs.  (that could be what they
thought, whether that is really why they went or not.)
    Anyhow, interesting idea and some interesting evidence.   Cheers, Doug

On Tue, Mar 9, 2021 at 3:25 PM David Blakeway <
fathom5marineresearch at gmail.com> wrote:

> It is a really interesting concept! The evidence is circumstantial and
> incomplete, but the authors acknowledge that and advocate further research.
> The article suggests that exploration is prompted by things going bad at
> home. But perhaps it could be just as easily argued that exploration would
> be prompted when things are good.
>