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Essay Cannibalism

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Cannibalism

Cannibalism has been around since the beginning of time. Mainly as an act of defense or as an alternate, last resort, for food. Cannibalism is also used as an act of violence among animals to preserve their genetics. Human cannibalism however, was not used as an act of violence to cause pain and anguish amongst other human beings. Cannibalism within the human race is widely known throughout the world, though you may not know it. From New Guinea to the high deserts of Arizona the practice of cannibalism has been used. Why cannibalism was practiced is still a mystery to many. Some think it actually was an act of violence, to torture the souls of others as revenge for invading the other person’s territory. …show more content…

Endocannibalism, also called funeral cannibalism, is the eating of a dead relative. The Fore women of New Guinea practiced this type of cannibalism; a loved one would die and the female relatives of the deceased would eat the brains while the men ate the muscle and internal organs. The body of the one who died was thought to help the still living become stronger; the deceased body was a source of nourishment. The Amazonian tribe of the Wari thought that the deceased would pass on and be reincarnated as an animal providing food, once again, to the tribe. “Among the Wari people it was to confirm that the loved one had passed into the afterlife and was to be re-incarnated as an animal” (Marsh).

Exocannibalism is the eating of enemies or strangers, and warning other tribes not to set foot on that particular piece of land.

“Aztec cannibalism formed part of their religious cosmology. The sun god had to be nourished with hearts and blood of human beings. Without cannibalizing their enemies, the Aztecs believed their world would collapse”(Marsh).

It was with the intention of saving themselves that they acted on cannibalism, without it their whole race would be demolished.

Medicinal cannibalism, or using human remains as medicine, was used greatly among the ancient Egyptians. Human remains were thought to be of good medicine getting rid of anything from a skin rash to infertility. “The ingestion of human remains, particularly powdered human

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