The Mayans, Aztecs, and the Mystery of the Submerged Sundaland

Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg (1814 – 1874) was a Flemish abbot of the 19th century. In addition to his clerical profession, the French abbot is universally known for his significant contributions to the knowledge of Mesoamerican peoples. In fact, Charles Étienne Brasseur was also a famous writer, ethnographer and archaeologist specializing in the study of Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

According to the scholar, the Mayans remembered their homeland as a “continent located in the Pacific”, which later sunk. They called this continent “Land of Mu”.

Until a few years ago, this was thought to be a legend. But the advent of the satellites proved that it was all true. In fact, the current Indonesia and Australia are the ‘remnants’ of a much larger continent, which scientists call Sundaland. This continent located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean was partially submerged starting 14,000 years ago, when the Pacific Ocean rose about 140 meters.

How did the Mayans become aware of the “submerged continent” in the Pacific Ocean? Was it just an incredible coincidence? Or were their ancestors really from Sundaland?

Even in this case, if we only wanted to pay attention to science, and not to our prejudices, the Maya would be absolutely right. Their ancestors were originally from Sundaland. How do we know for sure? According to Kenneth M. Olsen, PhD, a biologist specializing in plant evolution at Washington University in St. Louis, we have irrefutable evidence that navigators from the Sundaland and Sahuland areas made it as far as Panama, Central America, in the pre-Columbian era.

The ‘living proof’ is the presence of coconut in America. This researcher found that all coconut plants, anywhere in the world, originated either from India or from what was once Sundaland. Furthermore, the professor explains that, at least for long distances, the coconut plant does not migrate naturally, like seeds of other plants do. In his case it has to be taken by human being to other far away areas, to be able to attract there as well. If the coconut plant arrived in Central America in the pre-Columbian era, it means that sailors from the Sundaland area arrived in America before Columbus and planted it.