SEAFARING CULTURE

By Goca Gız

I hope this email finds you amidst a beautiful day, extending warm greetings with my very first monthly newsletter.

NEW YEAR

Some 4000 years ago, Babylonians would pledge to return borrowed items and settle debts with their gods at each year's dawn. Romans, on the other hand, would initiate each annum with vows to Janus, the namesake of January. Even in the Middle Ages, knights would reaffirm their oaths post-Christmas.

Today, as we usher in the new year, a global tradition ensues where many set ambitious resolutions, yet according to psychology scholar Timothy Pychy from Carleton University in Canada, "From inception, such decisions harbor failure and procrastination." (an expert in procrastination behavior)

GETTING ACQUAINTED

With trust in Uncle Timothy's wisdom, I've embarked on my goal to craft monthly newsletters for the Goca Gız family. Expect these missives to abound with intriguing content (often about seafaring). Allow me to reintroduce myself; I'm Beyza, aka Goca Gız, sequentially a linguist, sailor, YouTuber, and boat operator. Curiosity is my cornerstone. Without it, we'd be akin to primates grooming each other. Although plenty abound, politics finds no place in this bulletin. Sharing is the cornerstone of maritime culture. That's why I want to share with you what I know, what I'm learning, and what I'm curious about

THE SUN AND THE STORM GOD

May these newsletters foster the growth and proliferation of our Goca Gız family, unified by a shared passion for sailing and a thirst for knowledge.

Before I bid adieu, allow me to share the tale of a Norwegian explorer who embarked on a journey fueled by curiosity.

None other than Thor Heyerdahl.

Doğan Kardeş Yayınları Kon-tiki Kitap Kapağı — Kon-Tiki

Thor postulated that present-day Polynesians were descendants of South American natives who journeyed there on rafts predating Columbus. Despite the daunting Pacific, linguistic, cultural similarities, and trade winds bolstered his theory.

In 1947, he voyaged from South America, reaching Tahiti's eastern shores safely aboard a balsa wood raft, christened after Tici Viracocha, the fabled Incan sun and storm god (formerly Kon Tiki).

He chronicled this 101-day odyssey in a 1948 documentary book and film bearing the same name.

Consider this our addition to your 2024 reading list. Until February, adieu!

If you'd like to contribute or share your thoughts on these newsletters, please reach out.

Fair winds and following seas!