Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Are the Gogodala of Papua New Guinea a Lost Tribe of Israel?

Papua New Guinea is about as far from civilization as you can get. And yet members of the Gogodala tribe in that distant island insist that they are descendants of one of the ten lost tribes of Israel.

Florida International University Religious Studies Professor Tudor Parfitt visited the Gogodala people of Papua New Guinea, a tribe of former headhunters who claim to be one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

Back in 2011 we posted a video of Papua New Guinea tribesmen reciting the Sh'ma Yisrael prayer.

The leaders of the tribe say their ancestors told them that they came to Papua New Guinea from Jerusalem in canoes. So far the DNA tests conducted by the FIU professor have beeen inconclusive, neither confirming or denying their identity claim. 

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom! 


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