[UA] One case of cultural, non-funerary cannibalism...

[Tim Toner]

http://www.info-indo.com/papua/korowai.htm

The Korowai People

Head-hunters drove Papuan tribe into tree-houses 

The forest-dwelling Korowai, a Papuan tribe in the southeast of Irian
Jaya (the former Dutch New Guinea), were forced to adapt their lifestyle
to cope with the danger posed by a tribe of neighbouring head-hunters,
the Citak. They did this by building their houses at the tops of
40-metre high trees. A recent book about these tree-dwellers by two
Dutch researchers, linguist Prof. Lourens J. de Vries and clergyman
Gerrit J. van Enk, is the first published study of the Korowai.* It was
a Dutch missionary, Johannes Veldhuizen, who made the initial contact
with the tribe during the 1980s. Their language and lifestyle are now
being studied as part of a special research programme under the auspices
of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Many of
the tribes in the swampy areas of Irian Jaya build their houses on
stilts because that means less trouble from crawling insects, scorpions
and snakes. However, the Korowai build their homes much higher up, right
up in the tree tops; they are accessible only by means of a springy
climbing pole which can be pulled up if danger threatens. The pole is
also attached to the house in such a way that the inhabitants can keep
an eye on it from wherever they happen to be. All this means that
intruders have little chance of making a successful attack. Family life
takes place entirely within the tree house, which has separate areas for
men and women, each with their own entrances. The fear of cannibals is
expressed in the language of the Korowai and in the related languages of
other tribes in the region. It includes the word khakhua, which means
something like 'male witch' . Khakhuas are demonic individuals with an
inner urge which makes them become cannibals. They therefore have to be
pursued, tried, tortured and finally eaten. This type of cannibalism,
which the Korowai consider justified, is the only occurrence of this
practice in their culture. * The Korowai of Irian Jaya: Their Language
in Its Cultural Context, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0 19 510551 6.


Actually, the article (Cannibal film in poor taste? 
Science. Washington: Feb 18, 1994. Vol. 263, Iss. 5149;  pg. 922, 2 pgs
) that sent me to this one seemed to indicate the "eatin'" offenses
included murder, wife stealing, and food theft.



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