"Man, a domesticated animal still extensively raised, one wonders why, since it
is rarely eaten nowadays."
-Waverley Root, from his book Food
Few people believe their ancestors practiced cannibalism, and some
scholars deny its existence altogether, but the truth is . . . we all have
cannibals in our closets.
Cannibalism is the ingestion of others of one's own species and is
practiced throughout the animal kingdom, from one-celled organisms to
humans. The reason for cannibalism's ubiquitous nature lies in its antiquity.
Recent finds of species-specific tooth marks on dinosaur bones prove
occurrences of cannibalism dating back to the Mesozoic era.
Today, many people see themselves as standing outside the realm
of the animal kingdom, but as living creatures with functional brains, we
are not only animals, but the dominating force that holds sway over the
magnificent puzzle of global biota that exists on planet Earth. We, Homo
sapiens sapiens ("really smart man"), are the most intriguing piece of that
magnificent, global puzzle; a piece that once fit neatly within the framework
of the whole.
From our very beginnings, human cannibalism has been practiced
for numerous reasons, many of which have been labeled. Starvation brings
on "survival" cannibalism, while the ingestion of dead relatives is known
as "endocannibalism" or "funerary" cannibalism. "Exocannibalism" refers
to the eating of one's enemies, whereas "religious" cannibalism relates to
the actual or simulated partaking of human flesh as part of a religious rite.
For example, the Aztecs practicing cannibalism to keep the sun from dying
versus Christian Communion.
In "ritual," or "token," cannibalism, a specified part of an adversary,
ruler, or family member is consumed, as in the eating of an enemy's
heart, or the eyes of a previous chief eaten by an incoming chief, or the
drinking of a family member's cremated ashes mixed in a watery broth,
though many would label the drinking of ash-broth funerary.
"Medicinal" (iatric) cannibalism is one of the most fascinating, as
none of the medical or apothecary journals ever saw fit to identify the ingestion
of physician-prescribed medicines made from human cadavers as
being acts of cannibalism. Nevertheless, human flesh is human flesh, and
the consuming of it by another human constitutes an act of cannibalism.
With "gastronomic" cannibalism, human flesh is dealt with and
eaten without ceremony (other than culinary), in the same manner as the
flesh of any other animal. The most reliable sources state that human flesh
resembles beef, though it is lighter in color and texture, and, according to
some, the most delicious of meats. The commonly known moniker "long
pig" will be discussed in the text, but Pacific Islanders related the taste
of human flesh to pork for the simple reason that prior to contact with
the rest of the world, the only meat-producing mammal of reasonable size
available to them was the wild pig.
Autophagy (to eat of one's self) ranges from the little boy who
picks his nose to torture-induced self-consumption and truly disturbed individuals
who cook and eat pieces of their own flesh.
One other form of cannibalism should be noted as it graces the
pages of this book. It is referred to as "benign" cannibalism because the
diner has no knowledge of what kind of meat he is eating . . . or has already
eaten.
As individuals, we are a summation of our unique genetics, all we
have experienced, and what we have been taught to believe. If the people
within the society to which you were born practice cannibalism, burn people
at stakes, make war, promote terrorism, or scarify their bodies, chances
are you will do the same.
This volume investigates not only the subject of cannibalism, but
when and why people ate those of their own kind and continue to do so to
this very day. The why of cannibalism forces the examination of many surrounding
subjects, from the many foods we eat, to the caves of our ancient
past, to what makes us human. How do belief systems affect our lives? Are
we different today from our ancestors of yesteryear? Do the memes of the
societies we live in dictate our beliefs and our actions? Where do religions
fit in? Are religions more powerful than kings, queens and governments?
Do governing bodies use religions and/or belief systems to control the
masses? Do we function instinctually, or are we mere tools of our societies?
How did we get to where and how we are today? How different are
we, one society to another? And how do we differ from our most ancient
ancestors?
Dinner with a Cannibal presents the history of cannibalism in concert
with human development, making note of religions and societies that
either condoned or outlawed the practice. Through the following pages we
will look at cannibalism from every angle in order to gain comprehension
of the incredible, ancient/up-to-the-minute, multifaceted panoply that is
the reality of cannibalism.
The interpretation of human cannibalism used in this volume is
the ingestion of any part of the human form, including fluids or matter
emanating from the body.
Information for this book was gathered over a seven-year period
from authoritative primary sources. Research materials and investigations
used for accepting the fact that human cannibalism was and is real and not
uncommon, include scientific reports; firsthand accounts; anthropological
and archaeological evidence; historical, anthropological and archaeological
writings; recent news reports; and the analyzing of belief systems. Advice,
editing, readings and contributions from leading professors, paleoanthropologists,
archaeologists and scientists from multiple fields, plus physician specialists,
directed and tightened the work.
I have used the names of various tribes and peoples only when the
literature has been highly publicized or those listed are deceased. The main
thrust of this book is to consider the human condition rather than to present
a litany of everyone known to have practiced cannibalism.
Bon appetit.
Carole A. Travis-Henikoff