Human Flesh 101

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I think it's also important to note that European explorers and colonizers had a habit of, uh, "dramatizing" their actual observations, particularly in ways that made the native people they encountered seem more savage and less people-like.

[Cain]

In the particular case of the Caribs, it is believed that cannibalism may have something to do with war-related rituals, but could have just as easily been made up as a pretext for enslaving the population, as Spanish law forbade slavery except in cases where it was believed those enslaved would be better for it (and explicitly included cannibals under that description).

Generally, given the lack of historical and archaeological evidence for cannibalism by the Caribs, and the Spanish penchant for enslaving people and strip-mining the Americas of assets, I'm inclined to go with the "it was made up" theory.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

In the particular case of the Caribs, it is believed that cannibalism may have something to do with war-related rituals, but could have just as easily been made up as a pretext for enslaving the population, as Spanish law forbade slavery except in cases where it was believed those enslaved would be better for it (and explicitly included cannibals under that description).

Generally, given the lack of historical and archaeological evidence for cannibalism by the Caribs, and the Spanish penchant for enslaving people and strip-mining the Americas of assets, I'm inclined to go with the "it was made up" theory.

No bones hacked up for the cook pot + a bunch of government-sanctioned looters = this has got to be correct.

[East Coast Hustle]

Actually, cannibalism among warring tribes in the Caribbean basin is well-documented. Thing is, there was never any such thing as a "Carib" tribe. That was just a label given to any of the more warlike Taino tribes by the Spaniards.

[Cain]

Sure, the Tainos were the "noble savages" and the Caribs were the "evil cannibals", according to Spanish sources.

When I used Caribs above, I was referring more specifically to the Kalinago.

As for the warfare thing, I'm going to have to ask for sources.  It could be, of course, this is the ritual cannibalism I have seen alluded to in some sources, where enemy warriors who were killed in combat were partly consumed.  Still, I think this is somewhat different in substance to what is normally considered to be cannibalism, where humans are slain primarily for their nutritional value. 

Of course, the irony of Catholics declaring people eating human flesh to be fallen sinners is not lost on me.

[East Coast Hustle]

You are correct about that. All the archaeological/anthropological evidence that I've ever heard of supports that it was ritual cannibalism conducted by victorious warriors and was NOT something that was prevalent throughout Taino society, or in any way used as just another source of nutrition.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

You are correct about that. All the archaeological/anthropological evidence that I've ever heard of supports that it was ritual cannibalism conducted by victorious warriors and was NOT something that was prevalent throughout Taino society, or in any way used as just another source of nutrition.

Reminds me of what Rain In The Face said about Tom Custer: "I ate his heart".
Which may or may not have happened, but it's a bodacious "fuck you!" 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Honsinger_Bluff

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think it's also important to note that European explorers and colonizers had a habit of, uh, "dramatizing" their actual observations, particularly in ways that made the native people they encountered seem more savage and less people-like.

So did the Polynesians.  Once they found out that the Europeans had a thing about cannibalism, every tribe over THERE was a bunch of lousy cannibals, unlike us good people over HERE.