The Aztec tribe in Central America has always instilled fear in us due to their practice of cannibalism during the Sun God sacrifices. However, in the annals of history, this is not an isolated phenomenon. Many instances throughout history reveal that, due to cultural customs, survival needs, or strange diseases, humans have resorted to eating those around them…
Human Cannibalism and Scientific Explanations
True Stories
In the West, as early as the 18th and 19th centuries, sailors had an unspoken agreement to partake in a cruel game known as the lottery of fate. According to this practice, fishermen or sailors stranded at sea, faced with dire circumstances and a lack of food, would draw lots using wooden sticks.
The person whose stick was the shortest would become dinner for the remaining crew. At that time, when material resources and scientific understanding were limited, such risks were accepted.
By the end of the 19th century, the United States was rife with conflicts and wars between Western settlers and indigenous tribes. Growing up in this tumultuous environment, John Johnson, famously known as “Liver-eating” Johnson, came to notoriety for his gruesome acts. His nickname stemmed from the fact that his wife, a Native American woman, had been killed by a member of the Crow tribe.
The Crow tribe and their nemesis, Liver-eating Johnson.
In a quest for revenge, Johnson mercilessly slaughtered this tribe. It is recorded that he killed approximately 300 members of the Crow tribe, consuming their livers or any other body parts of those he had slain.
Another notorious tale is that of “the Colorado cannibal”. Alfred Packer was a guide for an expedition of six people to Colorado.
Portrait of Alfred Packer.
During the expedition, all members went missing due to a blizzard, with only Packer surviving to recount a gruesome and tragic story. He stated that when they became trapped and could not find food, Israel Swan, the oldest member of the expedition, died first due to weakness.
To survive, the remaining members had no choice but to consume him. Subsequently, Humphrey and Miller, two other members, also perished and suffered a similar fate.
In 1883, the remains of the expedition members were discovered. Alfred Packer confessed to having eaten everyone and fabricated a story to avoid prosecution.
When only three individuals remained, Shanon Bell shot Noon to have meat to eat. Shanon also intended to kill Packer but failed. In self-defense, Packer accidentally killed Shanon Bell. Thanks to that food supply, Alfred Packer survived.
During World War II, Lieutenant General Yoshio Tachibana of the Imperial Japanese Army, along with 11 other officers, was convicted of cannibalism. In August 1944, they beheaded two American pilots on Chichi Jima, part of the Bonin Islands.
General Yoshio Tachibana surrendering to Allied forces on Chichi Jima.
After killing their victims, they consumed the flesh and organs of the two American soldiers. Furthermore, Admiral Mori and General Matoba of Japan also admitted to having eaten five other American pilots in February 1945.
Scientific Explanations…
The aforementioned stories illustrate that cannibalism is not an isolated or singular phenomenon. Cannibalism has clear origins.
Archaeologists have uncovered numerous pieces of evidence regarding cannibalism from the ancient times of Neanderthals. For instance, human bones with cut marks resembling those made for regular meat consumption, or signs of massacres between tribes… These findings provide clues for us to study the lives of our ancestors thousands of years ago.
Thus, similar to other species, remnants of our primal instincts still exist alongside our human traits. Alongside cultural factors, at times, survival necessitates that we consume other humans.
These behaviors have been passed down through generations, becoming an inevitable and random occurrence consistent with evolutionary theory. Today, there are still numerous cases and incidents of cannibalism that have come to light, often closely tied to issues of addiction, as well as mental disorders, superstitions, and beliefs steeped in mysticism. Researchers continue to explore in hopes of finding a cure for those suffering from drug addiction and mental health disorders.
