Behind the palisade stood the houses of the inhabitants, covered with straw. The main building of the village was the marae - the Assembly House, which is the spiritual center. These houses were considered living beings. Their interior was called the stomach, the beams were called the spine, and the mask above the crest of the roof was called the head. These houses were decorated with carvings depicting gods, leaders and past events. Leaders were buried near the marae, accompanied magical rites and made sacrifices. At the head of the latter was a leader (arik), who performed the functions of the high priest. In general, the figure of the leader was sacred to the Maori, he was treated like a demigod. After death, the spirit of the deceased leader became a real object of worship. The leader had a special mana, i.e. power, which is bestowed on people from above, by spirits. Such a concept as taboo is inextricably linked with the figure of the leader.
Taboo is a concept denoting something separated from others, sacred, on which they have no right to encroach. The figure of the leader is taboo for everyone, for he is a demigod. Moreover, everything that came into contact with the leader became taboo. For example, if the chief touched someone's thing, it no longer belonged to its former owners. The latter could also lose their housing if the leader entered it. The leader could impose a taboo on catching fish and then no one dared to catch it until the ban was lifted. Violation of the taboo entailed immediate, and sometimes terrible death. The fear of him was so great that, at times, people died (!) Only when they accidentally found out that they had involuntarily violated a taboo. “Taboo covers life ... peoples in such a depressing form that from here comes a general oppression, which priests and chiefs knew how to skillfully use for political purposes.” The Maori also had priests, who were divided into two main classes: the first was the tohunga or official priest, who was attached to the sanctuary, and the second was the taura, simple fortune-tellers and sorcerers not associated with the sanctuary. After the leaders, the priests played leading role in the tribe. Maori believed that after the death of the souls of leaders and priests, having become deities or demigods, they live forever, while the souls ordinary people perish forever. In this unusual doctrine of immortality, one can also trace the unlimited power that the leaders and priests possessed. The New Zealanders had a large pantheon of gods, the main of which were: Tangaroa (god of the sea), Tane (god of the sun), Rongo (god of the moon), Tu (god of war). The main thing in the worship of the gods were sacrifices.
An ominous feature of Maori sacrifices was their cannibalistic nature. Until the 18th century, the concept of cannibal peoples was perceived as nothing more than a fairy tale. However, when the Europeans discovered New Zealand, they were convinced that cannibal peoples are not a myth, but terrible reality, a terrible example of what turning away from the True God leads to. The first European to visit New Zealand was Abel Tasman, who landed on its shores on December 13, 1642. The boats sent by him for reconnaissance were attacked by the Maori, as a result of which four sailors were killed.
The next European who stepped ashore was the Frenchman Jacques Surville (December 12, 1769), whose sailors also had a conflict with the natives. Almost simultaneously with Surville, it was visited by D. Cook, who stayed here for five months and left very valuable information about the natives, with whom he managed not to get involved in a conflict. He also owns one of their first descriptions: “The inhabitants of this country are strong, thin, well-built, mobile, usually above average height, especially men. Their skin is dark brown, their hair is black, their beards are thin and also black, their teeth are white. Those whose faces are not disfigured by tattoos have quite pleasant features. Men usually long hair, combed up and tied at the crown. Some women have their hair loose over their shoulders (especially older ones), others have their hair cut short ... locals, apparently, are distinguished by excellent health and longevity. Many old people and some middle-aged natives… tattoo their faces with black paint, but we have seen a few people with tattoos on other parts of the body: thighs, buttocks. Usually intertwined spirals are applied to the body, and the pattern is very thin and beautiful ... Women inject black paint under the skin on their lips. Both men and women sometimes paint their faces and bodies with red ocher mixed with fish oil... the food is not varied: fern roots, dog meat, fish, wild bird- its main types, because yams, melt and sweet potatoes are not bred here. The natives prepare food in the same way as the natives of the South Sea islands: they roast dogs and big fish in pits dug in the ground, small fish, poultry, shellfish are boiled on a fire.
Only on the second trip did Cook find out exactly what the main and favorite meal of the natives was. Description of the second round-the-world voyage of Captain Cook in 1772-1775. left one of its participants, a wonderful and thoughtful scientist Georg Forster. His book A Journey Around the World is distinguished by deep analysis, truthfulness and objectivity even when he writes about the clashes between the natives and the British. Let us give the floor to Forster, one of the first Europeans who witnessed the cannibal meal: “In the afternoon, the captain, together with Mr. Wales and my father, decided to cross to Motu-Aro to inspect the garden and collect plants for the ship. Several lieutenants, meanwhile, went to Indian Cove to trade with the natives. The first thing that caught their eye was the human entrails, piled in a heap near the water. As soon as they recovered from this spectacle, the Indians showed them various parts of the body itself and explained by signs and words that they had eaten the rest. Among these remaining pieces was the head; as far as it was possible to judge from it, the killed was a young man of fifteen or sixteen years old ... 
While we were standing around and looking at it, several New Zealanders came up to us from the source. Seeing the head, they made it clear by signs that they would like to eat meat and that it is very tasty ... they did not eat the meat raw, but first decided to cook it right there, in front of us; fried a little over the fire, after which they ate it with great appetite ...
Philosophers who have studied humanity from their study have presumptuously asserted that, despite the authors' accounts, cannibals never existed. Even among our companions, there were a few people who still doubted this, not wanting to believe the unanimous testimony of so many people ... Now that we saw everything with our own eyes, there was not the slightest doubt about it.
Oparin A.A. In the realm of pygmies and cannibals. Archaeological study of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Part II. In the realm of pygmies and cannibals
Achtung! Members of the ethnographic expedition "African Ring" found in wild forests Tanzania is a tribe of cannibals who speak Russian.
The expedition was carried out on three KamAZ cross-country vehicles through 27 African countries. During the research work, the participants collected and documented information about the most significant values of the peoples of Africa - traditions, rituals, customs and other features of the indigenous population of the "black continent".
The researchers found a tribe of Russian-speaking black cannibals in East Africa, near the border of Tanzania in difficult terrain. The primitive tribe is quite aggressive, in the customs of the natives - eating human flesh. Most strikingly, these cruel savages, as it turned out, not only speak Russian, but use it at the same time the purest sample XIX century. As Alexander Zheltov, a representative of St. Petersburg University, reported, "the tribe speaks the purest, beautiful Russian language of the nobles of the 19th century, which was spoken by Pushkin and Tolstoy."
The men of the tribe are very dangerous, as they perceive all people solely as food. During contact with Russian-speaking cannibals, members of the expedition kept weapons ready for self-defense. However, the head of the tribe understood that the conflict with white people was not beneficial to him. The tribe is armed primitive weapons, and each member of the expedition had a hunting rifle with her. It is obvious that in the event of a mess, the already shrinking tribe (only 72 people) would have been all killed.
Expedition leader Alexander Zheltov also said that when a tribe of cannibals offered guests to try them specialty of the house“The meat of the enemy roasted at the stake,” they asked, “Would you like to eat, dear guests?” When the members of the expedition refused, the cannibals lamented: "Oh, how sorry we are, right."
In total, the members of the expedition spent half a day visiting the tribe of Russian-speaking cannibals. To all the questions of astonished scientists, why primitive savages speak Russian XIX century, no answers have been received. The leader of the tribe only modestly remarked that "from time immemorial our tribe speaks this powerful, beautiful and great language," A. Zheltov conveys the words of the leader of the tribe.
It is likely that his cultural heritage and offspring were left by the Cossacks, led by Ataman Ashinov, who landed along with the intelligentsia and a religious mission on the coast of Africa in 1889. Or maybe the Russians have been there before and have inherited it. After all, in the wild lands there, even one King of Africaknsky looked like Alexander Sergeevich, which earned him the nickname "Pushkin".
At an altitude of 5000 meters in the jungle papua new guinea the Yali tribe lives, the number of which reaches about 20 thousand people. This tribe is notorious for its staunch adherence to cannibalism and its savagery. True, in Lately Yali seems to have taken the path of correction, but they stopped eating only white people, a person with a different skin color may well become a festive snack too ...
Whites are no longer eaten
To eat the flesh of an enemy in this tribe has always been considered a great valor: they believed that by eating their enemy, the warrior receives his strength, dexterity, cunning and intelligence. The process of transferring the merits of the enemy was especially successful if the killer knew his name. That is why travelers and tourists are strongly advised not to give their name when visiting the territory of Yali. The one who named the name becomes doubly attractive to the cannibal.
Of course, now manifestations of cannibalism have become rare, missionaries and government officials have made great efforts to eradicate this terrible custom. Yali decided not to eat whites anymore: not only White color they associate with death, so they also seriously took the doctrine of Christ. But the Japanese journalist, who recently disappeared in the jungle on the lands of the yali, they did not seem to have mercy. Veterans from the cannibal past of the tribe still recall with nostalgia the recipes for cooking the killed enemy.
According to them, the real delicacy is the human buttocks. Let's hope that they will never come across a beauty with a silicone fifth point, because the hearts of savages simply cannot stand this ... However, this is already from the field of black humor.
Until now, only real travelers - extreme people dare to visit the territory of residence of this tribe, because there are rumors that the Yalis periodically recall their cannibal habits. The Yalis justify their “offences” by the fact that they did not kill anyone, but ate the already dead. They explain the disappearance of people in their area by accidents - they drowned in stormy rivers, fell into the abyss, and the like.
Many believe that such explanations should not be particularly trusted, and in a matter of decades it is very difficult to eradicate habits that are thousands of years old.
The Indonesian authorities, of course, are not only trying to completely eradicate the manifestations of cannibalism among the Yali, but also to introduce them to civilization. To this end, the government at one time offered all the Yalis to move to the valley, they were promised Construction Materials, a piece of land, a supply of rice and even free TV to every home. The Yalis accepted this idea without enthusiasm, and when 18 of the first 300 settlers died of malaria, they began to refuse to leave their native jungle. In addition, they complained about the rotten houses and the barrenness of the allocated plots.
It ended up that the program was canceled, and the yali remained to live on the land of their ancestors.
Case for manhood
Now, as in past decades, main force missionaries remain who introduce the Yali to civilization. They bring medicines to the savages, teach and treat their children, build bridges and even small hydroelectric power stations, and prepare landing sites for helicopters. All this greatly facilitates the life of the tribe, which, while maintaining its originality, nevertheless becomes more civilized every day. However, those who nevertheless ventured to visit the yali and observe the Papuans in all their primeval glory are unlikely to be disappointed.
Yalis still flaunt their traditional attire. Women are almost naked, they wear only small skirts made of plant fibers. The "outfit" of men is much more curious, they do not have loincloths, only in the causal place is a special case called halim, which they make from dried bottle gourd. It is curious that the process of making halims is rather complicated and was clearly developed in time immemorial.
While the pumpkin is growing, stones are tied to it, tied with thin vines, all this is done to obtain the most elongated and bizarre shape. Dried gourds are decorated with shells and feathers; local dandies have several of these cases. On holidays and especially solemn days, the strong half of the tribe uses longer halims, in which the warriors manage to store even tobacco.
The main thing in the house is a pig
Both women and men are very popular with various jewelry, mainly beads and shells. The Yali tribe has rather curious concepts about beauty, there are numerous references to the fact that two front teeth are knocked out to local beauties to make them as attractive as possible. Yali men are real dandies: in addition to intricate halims, they decorate themselves with other bells and whistles.
Here is what our traveler Valery Kemenov writes about this: “Yali men wear much more various decorations than women. They insert boar fangs into their noses, wear a variety of medallions and wicker caps. Previously, they were made from natural fibers, but with the advent of civilization, the Papuans began to buy nylon threads at the bazaar.”
You should not think that the food of the yali has always been obtained only by hunting and gathering, in their household there are pigs, chickens and even opossums. In addition, they are quite successful in agriculture, growing sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes), bananas, taro rhizome, corn and tobacco. Like many neighboring tribes, the economy special value represent pigs. For a good fat boar, you can buy yourself a wife here, and because of a stolen pig, an armed conflict between the tribes may well break out even with a cannibal component.
Cooking takes place right on the ground, on several hot stones. If there is a joint meal of friendly clans, the most tidbits are distributed according to the status of the guests present. In such cases, it is customary to exchange gifts, all this strengthens intertribal relations, both economically and militarily.
Hooked on dry vermicelli
The Yalis were mostly indifferent to modern products; True, they thoroughly sat down on the dry Mivina vermicelli. They acquire it in the town of Wamena closest to their lands. Some yali, alas, are addicted to "fire water" and gradually become an inveterate drunkard. It takes three days to walk to Wamena, but this does not stop the Papuans, who are eager for the blessings of civilization. In addition to vermicelli, they buy knives, shovels, machetes, mugs, pots, pots and pans at the city market. In order to get money for the tools and things they need, the yalis sell sweet potatoes and corn grown by them, as well as various handicrafts that are popular with tourists.
Although civilization is getting closer and closer to the isolated world of Yali, the tribe still manages to maintain its identity. All Papuans go to the local shaman for amulets and healing decoctions, the dead warriors are smoked, and their mummies are stored in the men's house, where access to outsiders is strictly prohibited. Women from early morning until late at night work in gardens, look after children and pets, and cook food. The men go hunting, clearing jungle land for new vegetable gardens, making pens for livestock and fences around vegetable gardens. In the evening, fed by women, they sit by the fire, smoke and exchange impressions about the past day. Yali believe that the spirits of their ancestors will surely protect them from all future misfortunes and hardships; maybe it will be like that?
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In the 21st century, it's hard to believe that someone is capable of cannibalism. The guidebooks have not been informing about the dangers of this kind for a long time, although in fact it would be worth it. Some tribes abandon civilization and live by the old rules, which include cannibalism.
South East Papua New Guinea
The Korowai tribe is one of the disappearing ones, where they feed on human flesh. They live near the river, where tourists come. In 1961, the son of Governor Nelson Rockefeller went missing there. This tribe believes that if a person dies due to illness, then the sorcerer Hakua devours him from the inside. In order to protect others from misfortune, they must repay the same - eat a person who died through the fault of Hakua.
Congo
Cannibalism in the Congo peaked during civil war(1998-2002) The rebels believed that the heart of the enemy should be cooked with special herbs and eaten. They still believe that the heart gives a special power that scares off enemies. In 2012, an official case of cannibalism was recorded.
Fiji
If the first two settlements are not dangerous for tourists, then the one located on the island of Fiji should be avoided. Ancient traditions have been preserved on this island: tribes fight among themselves and eat only enemy people, considering this a ritual of revenge. It is interesting that they do not eat like animals, but using cutlery. They also collect rare items left over from the victims.
Aghori sect, Varanasi
Varanasi is the city where the dead are burned on the Ganges River. At night, the Aghori religious sect comes to this river. They are smeared with cremation ash, wear necklaces made of bones, dressed in black inconspicuous clothing. They need the dead to perform rituals. Sometimes they eat volunteers who donate their entrails. This is necessary in order to prevent aging of the body.
The last cannibals are known to live in Papua New Guinea. Here they still live according to the rules adopted 5 thousand years ago: men go naked, and women cut off their fingers. There are only three tribes still engaged in cannibalism, these are Yali, Vanuatu and Carafai. Carafai (or tree people) - the most cruel tribe. They eat not only warriors of foreign tribes, lost locals or tourists, but also all their dead relatives. The name "tree people" got from their houses, which are incredibly high (see the last 3 pictures). The Vanuatu tribe is peaceful enough not to be eaten by a photographer, a few pigs are brought to the leader. Yali are formidable warriors (Yali's photos start at photo 9). The phalanges of the fingers of a woman of the Yali tribe are cut off with an ax as a sign of grief for the deceased or deceased relative.
Most main holiday Yali is the festival of death. Women and men paint their bodies in the form of a skeleton. On the feast of death earlier, perhaps they do it now, they killed the shaman and the leader of the tribe ate his warm brain. This was done in order to satisfy Death and imbibe the knowledge of the shaman to the leader. Now Yali people are killed less often than usual, mainly if there was a crop failure or for some other "important" reasons.
Hungry cannibalism, which is preceded by murder, is regarded in psychiatry as a manifestation of the so-called hungry insanity.
Also known is domestic cannibalism, not dictated by the need for survival and not provoked by hungry insanity. IN judicial practice such cases do not qualify as premeditated murder with particular cruelty.
With the exception of these not too common cases, the word "cannibalism" often comes to mind nevertheless insane ritual feasts, during which the victorious tribes devour the body parts of their enemies in order to gain their strength; or another well-known useful "application" of this phenomenon: the heirs thus treat the bodies of their fathers in the pious hope that they will be reborn in the body of their flesh-eaters.
The most "cannibalistic" strange modern world is Indonesia. In this state there are two famous centers of mass cannibalism - part of the island belonging to Indonesia New Guinea and the island of Kalimantan (Borneo). The jungles of Kalimantan are inhabited by 7-8 million Dayaks, famous skull hunters and cannibals.
The most delicious parts of the body are considered to be the head - tongue, cheeks, skin from the chin, the brain extracted through the nasal cavity or ear opening, meat from the thighs and calves, heart, palms. The initiators of the crowded campaigns for skulls among the Dayaks are women.
The latest surge in cannibalism in Borneo occurred at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, when the Indonesian government tried to organize the colonization of the interior of the island by the forces of civilized immigrants from Java and Madura. The unfortunate peasant settlers and the soldiers who accompanied them were mostly slaughtered and eaten. Until recently, cannibalism persisted on the island of Sumatra, where the Batak tribes ate criminals sentenced to death and incapacitated old people.
An important role in the almost complete elimination of cannibalism in Sumatra and some other islands was played by the activities of the "father of Indonesian independence" Sukarno and the military dictator Suharto. But even they could not improve the situation in Irian Jaya, Indonesian New Guinea, one iota. The Papuan ethnic groups living there, according to missionaries, are obsessed with a passion for human flesh and are distinguished by unparalleled cruelty.
They especially prefer the human liver with medicinal herbs, penises, noses, tongues, meat from the thighs, feet, breasts. In the eastern part of the island of New Guinea, in independent state In Papua New Guinea, much less evidence of cannibalism is recorded.
