Thread: Why isn't cannibalism more common?

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Skin pigment is only on the surface. Don't you watch murder or medical shows?

Not through choice. But I suppose I should have known from my old indigenous friend from the Territory, when asked if there was a word for an Uncle Tom in his slang, and he said it was coconut. Black on the outside, white in the middle.Tastes ok too.

Tasmanian escaped convict Alexander Pearce, who was convicted of cannibalism in 1824, said: 'Man's flesh is delicious. It tastes far better than fish or pork.'
Alexander Pearce - Wikipedia

Cannibalism is found in classic children's stories e.g. Hansel and Gretel is thought to be about cannibalism and the Great Famine of 1315-21, when people abandoned their children because they couldn't feed them.

Hansel and Gretel are the young children of a poor woodcutter. When a great famine settles over the land, the woodcutter's second, abusive wife decides to take the children into the woods and leave them there to fend for themselves, so that she and her husband do not starve to death, because the kids eat too much. The woodcutter opposes the plan but finally, and reluctantly, submits to his wife's scheme. They are unaware that in the children's bedroom, Hansel and Gretel have overheard them. After the parents have gone to bed, Hansel sneaks out of the house and gathers as many white pebbles as he can, then returns to his room, reassuring Gretel that God will not forsake them.
The next day, the family walk deep into the woods and Hansel lays a trail of white pebbles. After their parents abandon them, the children wait for the moon to rise and then they followed the pebbles back home. They return home safely, much to their stepmother's rage. Once again provisions become scarce and the stepmother angrily orders her husband to take the children further into the woods and leave them there to die. Hansel and Gretel attempt to gather more pebbles, but find the doors locked and find it impossible to escape.

Illustration by Ludwig Richter, 1842


The following morning, the family treks into the woods. Hansel takes a slice of bread and leaves a trail of bread crumbs for them to follow home. However, after they are once again abandoned, they find that the birds have eaten the crumbs and they are lost in the woods. After days of wandering, they follow a beautiful white bird to a clearing in the woods, and discover a large cottage built of gingerbread, cakes, candy and with window panes of clear sugar. Hungry and tired, the children begin to eat the rooftop of the house, when the door opens and a "very old woman" emerges and lures the children inside, with the promise of soft beds and delicious food. They do this without knowing the fact that their hostess is a bloodthirsty Hag who waylays children to cook and eat them.
The next morning, the hag locks Hansel in an iron cage in the garden and forces Gretel into becoming a slave. The hag feeds Hansel regularly to fatten him up, but Hansel cleverly offers a bone he found in the cage (presumably a bone from the hag's previous captive) and the hag feels it, thinking it to be his finger. Due to her blindness, she is fooled into thinking Hansel is still too thin to eat. After weeks of this, the hag grows impatient and decides to eat Hansel, "be he fat or lean".
She prepares the oven for Hansel, but decides she is hungry enough to eat Gretel, too. She coaxes Gretel to the open oven and prods her to lean over in front of it to see if the fire is hot enough. Gretel, sensing the hag's intent, pretends she does not understand what she means. Infuriated, the hag demonstrates, and Gretel instantly shoves the hag into the oven, slams and bolts the door shut, leaving "The ungodly creature to be burned to ashes", the hag screaming in pain until she dies. Gretel frees Hansel from the cage and the pair discover a vase full of treasure and precious stones. Putting the jewels into their clothing, the children set off for home. A swan ferries them across an expanse of water and at home they find only their father; his wife died from unknown cause. Their father had spent all his days lamenting the loss of his children, and is delighted to see them safe and sound. With the hag's wealth, they all live happily ever after.

Originally Posted by Ferret

Have stayed in the back blocks of PNG. Fella in the local village told me in another village not far from where I was staying (~2 hours by foot) the sharman was eaten only 3-4 years ago. Old bloke in that village claims he's had black, white and yellow. White is said to be best I was told.

Umm the advice received by a colleague , from a reformed expert , WWII era aka Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel , was that Japanese was best, as the rice imparted a subtle favour.

I'm going to be deliberately vague as this is a sensitive local topic.
A work colleague was burying a family member over Christmas, on arrival at the Cemetery they were asked not to bury him as he was going to be eaten and it would save digging him up.
This was rejected and some family members set up a vigil to protect the body.
The grave robbers/cannibals mustered up their gang and tried to force the issue.
Police were then called in, and the gang is in jail , without trial, in the basement cells, so they can be closer to the devil.
So i would suggest Cannibalism is fairly active but kept out of the media.

Originally Posted by AndyG

... Japanese was best, as the rice imparted a subtle favour.

I guessing the method of preparation and presentation would be influencing peoples preferences.

Two cannibals are sitting in the jungle eating a clown when one looks at the other and asks "Does he taste funny to you?"

Sorry couldn't resist!

The chooks we used to have didn't mind cleaning up the remains of a cooked chicken.....