HUMAN CANNIBALISM

A short review by Nikhil Girraj Khandelwal

INTRODUCTION

Cannibalism is a term referring to the practice of consumption of a human, or a part of his body by another human.

In case you are wondering if there is even a remote possibility that it is real, I would sorely assure you, Yes, it is!

HISTORY

Cannibalism has been practiced over centuries and has existed in one form or the other. The Aztecs were known to sacrifice their fellow humans to the Gods and later devouring them. Discovery of butchered human bones in Neanderthal and other Lower/Middle Paleolithic sites, have led anthropologists to conclude that cannibalism did exist during the prehistoric times. Cannibalism in Pre-Columbian America is known by many sources but none of them provide information about how widespread it was.

HISTORY ANDROPHAGOI

Androphagoi, was an ancient tribe of African cannibals who fed

exclusively on other men. This tribe was often credited as a nation of their own. "The Androphagoi were believed to have the most savage manners of all human beings, and they neither acknowledged any rule of right nor observed any customary law.

HISTORY ASMAT PEOPLE

Asmat are an ethnic group of New Guinea, Indonesia. Initially had reputation only as Cannibals and Headhunters. Are known worldwide by wooden art admirers for their vibrant woodcarving arts.

TRENDS AND CULTURES

Mortuary Cannibalism Some cultures are believed to practice Cannibalism over the corpses of dead. Ritual of the Eucharist It is reported that a cannibalistic cult took a couple of words seriously from the Bible and used it as a reference to justify their deeds. It says, eat my flesh and drink my bloodFor my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed

REASONS

Cultural Cannibalism Some cultures include cannibalism in their society. There are African tribes that eat the genitals of dead tribesmen, for they believe this practice increases fertility. Cannibalism due to Starvation In a situation where one human must eat the other in order to survive. This obviously could take place in remote places. Sadistic Cannibalism Situations where sexual pleasure is obtained by inflicting harm and consuming human flesh.

CANNIBALISM ON SCREEN

There have been numerous works been presented from a long time on the big screens. Some of the popular ones are Cannibal Holocaust I & II, 1980 &1988 Ravenous, 1999 The Deathmaker, 1995 Manhunter, 1986 The Silence of the Lambs, 1991 Delicatessen, 1991 The Road, 2009 The Green Butchers, 1972 The Pirates of Caribbean Dead Mans Chest, 2006

KNOWN CANNIBALS

Jeffrey Dahmer, an American accused of killing, cooking and eating 17 people. Armin Meiwes, a German who ate people who volunteered to be consumed after reading his online advertisement. He is also known as the Cannibal of Rotenburg. Chijon family, a South Korean gang of cannibals known for killing and eating rich people. Issei Sagawa, a Japanese celebrity who killed and ate Rene Hartevelt, a fellow of him.

KNOWN CANNIBALS

Matej Curko, a Slovakian, accused of killing more than 3 people. Though no further evidences have been found, he is believed to be a convict for consuming more than 30 people. Luka Magnotta, a Canadian model accused of killing, dismembering and eating a Japanese, Lin Jun.

EVENTS IN HISTORY

1870 Alain de Monys, French aristocrat, was cooked and eaten alive by the villagers of Hautefaye, Dordogne, during a reported case of mass hysteria.
1514 Gyrgy Dzsa, Szkely man-at-arms and peasants' revolt leader in Hungary, was condemned to sit on a red-hot iron throne with a red-hot iron crown on his head and a red-hot sceptre in his hand (mocking his ambition to be king), by Hungarian landed nobility in Transylvania. While Dzsa was still alive, his partially roasted body was force-fed to six of his fellow rebels, who had been starved for a week beforehand.

EVENTS IN HISTORY

1981 A 25 year old Dutch woman arrived at the home of a classmate after she was invited to dinner for an intellectual conversation where she was killed and eaten by her dinner companion.
2001 Bernd-Jrgen Brandes, from Germany, was voluntarily stabbed repeatedly and then partly eaten by Armin Meiwes. Brandes had shown his interest to be killed and eaten on an internet advertisement by Meiwes looking for someone for this purpose.

RECENT EVENTS

Noida serial murders, India in 2005-2006, one of the accused eats one of the victims liver. Vince Weiguang Li stabbed repeatedly his co-traveller Tim McLean in a bus and then fed on his body parts in front of other passengers who were obviously horrified and stunned. July 30, 2008. Matej Curko, a seemingly ordinary man from Sokol, Slovakia was reported to arrange meeting through internet. While a police agent trapped him to meet him in August 2011, he pulled out a gun at the meeting place and was shot dead. A collection of body parts was found at his house which is presumed to be kept for later consumption. Convict could be accused for murders of 3 to more than 30 people.

RECENT EVENTS

Mao Sugiyama advertised online to serve his male private body parts as a meal for 100,000 yen. Five diners attended the event April 13, 2012. Rudy Eugene in Miami assaulted Ronald Poppo on May 26, 2012. He partially ate up his face while he was shot dead by the police. Alexander Kinyua, 21, arrested for murdering his roommate at Morgan State University and eating his heart and portions of his brain. Otty Sanchez, beheads her newborn and consumes his brain. Reported on May 28, 2012

OTHER FORMS

Endocannibalism Consumption of an another human of the same community. Exocannibalism Consumption of humans from other communities or enemy tribes. Vorarephilia Drawing of sexual pleasure by the idea of eating another human or being eaten by another human. Cannibalism in Animals More than 1500 species of animals are seen to practice cannibalism. Consumption of Human Fetus It is one of the modern forms of cannibalism known to be practiced in China and Taiwan.

THANK YOU!