Cannibalism

Cannibalism is the act or practice of eating members of one's own species and usually refers to humans eating other humans (sometimes called anthropophagy). Cannibalism has been attributed to many different tribes and races in the past, but the degree to which it has actually occurred and been socially sanctioned is an extremely controversial topic in anthropology. Some anthropologists argue that cannibalism has been almost non-existent and view claims of cannibalism with extreme skepticism, while others argue that the practice was common in pre-state societies.

See also

• Androphagi, an ancient nation of cannibals
• Boyd Massacre, where indigenous Maori killed and ate almost 70 crew members of a ship that flogged the son of a chief
• Cannibalization, a business term where one product takes sales from another product
• Alexander "Sawney" Bean, the head of a mythical Scottish family of 48 who murdered and cannibalized over 1000 people.
• Alferd Packer, a Colorado cannibal
• Donner Party, a group of people who resorted to cannibalism when snowbound
• Liver-Eating Johnson
• Mechanics sometimes use the verb cannibalize for dismantling one vehicle or other machine to get parts to repair another.
• Michael Rockefeller, 23 year old son of New York governor Nelson Rockefeller who disappeared off the coast of New Guinea in November of 1961. It is believed that he was eaten by the local cannibals, the Asmat.
• Sumanto, an Indonesian cannibal.
• Placentophagy
• Tobias Schneebaum, American anthropoligist and artist who lived with cannibalistic tribes in South America and New Guinea
• Wendigo refers to a mythical malevolent supernatural creature whose physical deformities suggest starvation and frostbite; and personifies the hardships of winter and the taboo of cannibalism.