KIMBERLY ASHER HOLT: Does anyone know about the Asher tribe?
SANDY GRIFFIN: The Asher tribe I believe was part of the 12 tribes of Israel,I think descendants of one of the original 12 tribes
NILI SALEM B’SIMCHA: During the time of the Spanish Inquisition some of their forefathers went to Peru for safety. Unfortunately, when they arrived in Peru, they met continued persecution. They were advised to leave, so they headed out on boats and arrived at the shores of Papua, via Japan
WIKIPEDIA: Anthropologically, New Guinea is considered part of Melanesia.
A number of Austronesian languages are spoken on the coast and on offshore islands.
DENNIS J. VAZQUEZ: Polynesians stretch from Madagascar to Taiwan to the Hawaiian Islands and almost to if not to Peru/Ecuador. Reconectar relates from this story that some in the Papua community descended from Peruvians escaping the Inquisition. They give credit to Sephardic Jewish traders when I don't think enough credit is given to Mizrahi/Bagdadi Jewish traders and sailors who helped open sea routes in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and probably helped spread Islam all the way to the Philippines
