ELIZABETH SUSKI
Special to The Leader
Did you ever think that one of the buildings on campus would be named after someone who disappeared off the coast of New Guinea? The Rockefeller Arts Center is named after Michael C. Rockefeller, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller’s son.
This Thursday, author and journalist Carl Hoffman will be giving a lecture on his novel, “Savage Harvest,” which is about Michael Rockefeller’s disappearance and death.
“After more than 50 years of rumors about what happened to the person our building is named after, we finally have convincing evidence as to what really happened to him,” said Jefferson Westwood, the director of the Rockefeller Arts Center.
Rockefeller was traveling to New Guinea to visit the Asmat tribe. The Asmat is one of the last remaining Stone Age cultures that still exist.
“Asmat is a place of incredible vastness. There’s oceans and swamps surrounding them,” said Hoffman.
Hoffman has challenged the idea that Rockefeller didn’t just drown after his catamaran capsized by coming forward with new evidence that proves that he was eaten by cannibals.
“I’ve known about the story for a long time,” said Hoffman. “My father had been to New Guinea where Michael’s film, ‘Dead Birds,’ was made and we talked about going, and we wanted to go, but it was too remote.”
In 2011, after he published “Lunatic Express,” Hoffman was looking for a new story and thought that Rockefeller’s was a fantastic one.
Ultimately, it became much bigger than he’d imagined.
Since then, Hoffman has traveled around the world and published another book in 2018. He has balanced reporting and writing this entire time.
“Carl Hoffman has been able to turn a life of adventure and travel to exotic places—and writing about it all—into a sustainable career,” said Westwood.
Hoffman has been an editor for National Geographic Traveler and Wired, and his narrative pieces have appeared in the Smithsonian, Outside, Men’s Journal, National Geographic Adventure and many other magazines.
“Rockefeller’s story was two years of me asking questions, and then I was just ready to write about it. Journalism is more art than science and is based off of your intuition,” said Hoffman.
The event will take place on Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. The lecture is free but tickets are required, and you can get them at the ticket office in the Williams Center or online at fredonia.edu/tickets.
Hoffman’s book, “Savage Harvest” is at the bookstore for purchase and will be available at the event as well. There will also be a book signing following immediately afterward.
Hoffman also had a bit of advice for blossoming journalists: “Reading is the most important thing. Use modes for your own journalism and reporting. The more you read the better.”