Cannibals. The word stirs up images of pounding drums in the deep jungle, or perhaps isolated cabins in the hills depending on your taste in movies. Cannibalism does happen in the modern world, however - and not only amongst isolated tribes. Not convinced? Take a look at...
The Witch-Eaters of the KorowaiThe Korowai of New Guinea are extremely isolated and territorial, so much so that some of them consider white people to be spirits rather than men and women. There is also a ongoing tribal belief that changing any of their customs will bring about massive earthquakes and possibly end the world - and one of those traditions is cannibalism.
Estimates put the Korowai population at around 4,000, but their seclusion and general hostility makes it very hard to be sure. Some have acclimatized to the outside world, and they are willing to act as guides for those willing to risk a trip into the untamed jungle.
The cannibalism practiced by the Korowai is linked to a belief in khakhua, shape-changing witches. Like an over-enthusiastic vampire, these get close to a prospective victim and eat their innards over the course of a few days. The khakhua replace the missing organs with fire ash to hide their crime before eventually killing the victim. Folklore has it that sometimes a dying victim will name their killer - so the family will capture, kill and eat the khakua in a form of retributive justice. Traditionally the dismembered khakua is parceled up in banana leaves and distributed amongst the local tribespeople, and is cooked like pork before being consumed. The ones who kill the khakua keep the head.
The traditional Korowai dwelling is a treehouse mounted high (around 140ft) above the forest floor and it is often an individual sharing the treehouse that is named as a khakhua. The tribes have little to no knowledge about pathogens, so shared dwellings in jungle conditions would be ideal for the spread of diseases - many of which would appear to be "eating the victim away from inside."
Journalist Carl Hoffman went to live among the Asmat, in the hopes of discovering what really happened to Michael Rockefeller of the banking dynasty in 1961. He left a companion and swam 10 miles to reach the shore after his boat capsized off New Guinea - only to vanish. Hoffman believes that Rockefeller was killed in revenge after a Dutch raid killed a number of Asmat tribesmen - a simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In 2012, a man and two women were arrested in the Brazilian town of Garanhuns. Their crime? Killing multiple women at the behest of a "voice." The killers butchered the corpses and consumed some of the flesh themselves. The rest of the meat was turned into empanadas (a type of pastry) that were sold to the public.
The Ash-Clad Corpse-Eating Aghori Mystics of IndiaSituated along the Ganges river, these mystics might surprise an observer with their style of worship. Extremely devout Hindus, the Aghori use skulls as begging bowls, eschew clothing in favor of cremation ash and consume human flesh as part of their rituals.
Since many bodies float down the Ganges (having been placed there by families too poor to afford a cremation) these mystics have access to an abundant supply of human remains to use in their rites. Other people may ask to be given over to the Aghori after their deaths. Despite their extremely grim outlook and macabre crafts, these monks are not killers. They are devoted to Shiva and seek to reach enlightenment by surrounding themselves in the trappings of death, to help them understand that all life is transitory.
The tribesmen also explained the role of their "song leader" or mystic, whose spirit guide would come to him and identify tribespeople involved in "bad magic." These people would then be killed and eaten without any form of trial - making the song leader a force to be feared.
Apparently the Biami abandoned cannibalism a few decades ago, preferring to demonstrate their butchering techniques on pigs using a bamboo knife!
- The Witch-Eaters of the Korowai
- The Asmat and the Missing Rockefeller
- The Brazilian Version of Sweeney Todd (and Human Pastries)
- The Ash-Clad Corpse-Eating Aghori Mystics of India
- The Ex-Cannibal Biami of New Guinea
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| Papua New Guinea plays host to cannibals... or at least it used to.(BeaAmaya) |
The Witch-Eaters of the KorowaiThe Korowai of New Guinea are extremely isolated and territorial, so much so that some of them consider white people to be spirits rather than men and women. There is also a ongoing tribal belief that changing any of their customs will bring about massive earthquakes and possibly end the world - and one of those traditions is cannibalism.
Estimates put the Korowai population at around 4,000, but their seclusion and general hostility makes it very hard to be sure. Some have acclimatized to the outside world, and they are willing to act as guides for those willing to risk a trip into the untamed jungle.
The cannibalism practiced by the Korowai is linked to a belief in khakhua, shape-changing witches. Like an over-enthusiastic vampire, these get close to a prospective victim and eat their innards over the course of a few days. The khakhua replace the missing organs with fire ash to hide their crime before eventually killing the victim. Folklore has it that sometimes a dying victim will name their killer - so the family will capture, kill and eat the khakua in a form of retributive justice. Traditionally the dismembered khakua is parceled up in banana leaves and distributed amongst the local tribespeople, and is cooked like pork before being consumed. The ones who kill the khakua keep the head.
The traditional Korowai dwelling is a treehouse mounted high (around 140ft) above the forest floor and it is often an individual sharing the treehouse that is named as a khakhua. The tribes have little to no knowledge about pathogens, so shared dwellings in jungle conditions would be ideal for the spread of diseases - many of which would appear to be "eating the victim away from inside."
The Asmat and the Missing Rockefeller
Hailing from New Guinea, the Asmat have a strong spiritual tradition. They believe that no death is truly accidental - it is either due to war or sorcery. When a death occurs, the amount of life present in the tribe is thrown out of balance. Traditionally it would be restored by taking the strength of an enemy, in the form of head-hunting and cannibalism.Journalist Carl Hoffman went to live among the Asmat, in the hopes of discovering what really happened to Michael Rockefeller of the banking dynasty in 1961. He left a companion and swam 10 miles to reach the shore after his boat capsized off New Guinea - only to vanish. Hoffman believes that Rockefeller was killed in revenge after a Dutch raid killed a number of Asmat tribesmen - a simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Brazilian Version of Sweeney Todd (and Human Pastries)
The fictional character Sweeney Todd murdered the customers of his barber shop, transforming their bodies into pies with the aid of a nearby baker. Pretty far fetched, you'd assume. It seems like life mimics art on occasion, however.In 2012, a man and two women were arrested in the Brazilian town of Garanhuns. Their crime? Killing multiple women at the behest of a "voice." The killers butchered the corpses and consumed some of the flesh themselves. The rest of the meat was turned into empanadas (a type of pastry) that were sold to the public.
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| The Ganges carries many things as it flows... including bodies. (WikiImages) |
The Ash-Clad Corpse-Eating Aghori Mystics of IndiaSituated along the Ganges river, these mystics might surprise an observer with their style of worship. Extremely devout Hindus, the Aghori use skulls as begging bowls, eschew clothing in favor of cremation ash and consume human flesh as part of their rituals.
Since many bodies float down the Ganges (having been placed there by families too poor to afford a cremation) these mystics have access to an abundant supply of human remains to use in their rites. Other people may ask to be given over to the Aghori after their deaths. Despite their extremely grim outlook and macabre crafts, these monks are not killers. They are devoted to Shiva and seek to reach enlightenment by surrounding themselves in the trappings of death, to help them understand that all life is transitory.
The Ex-Cannibal Biami of New Guinea
According to the tribesmen themselves, the Biami of Papa New Guinea habitually partook of human flesh mere decades ago. One tribesman described the execution and consumption of two women suspected of causing the death of one of their husbands. Supposedly the bodies were roasted over the fire on a spit - just like an animal carcass.The tribesmen also explained the role of their "song leader" or mystic, whose spirit guide would come to him and identify tribespeople involved in "bad magic." These people would then be killed and eaten without any form of trial - making the song leader a force to be feared.
Apparently the Biami abandoned cannibalism a few decades ago, preferring to demonstrate their butchering techniques on pigs using a bamboo knife!
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