Edible People

While human cannibalism has attracted considerable notice and controversy, certain aspects of the practice have received scant attention. These include the connection between cannibalism and xenophobia: the capture and consumption of unwanted strangers. Likewise ignored is the connection to slavery: the fact that in some societies slaves and persons captured in slave raids could be, and were, killed and eaten. This book explores these largely forgotten practices and ignored connections while making explicit the links between cannibal acts, imperialist influences and the role of capitalist trading practices. These are highly important for the history of the slave trade and for understanding the colonialist history of Africa.

Auteur

Christian Siefkes is an independent scholar whose research interests include the history of trade and economic relations, including their darker aspects, as well as the reality of climate change and what is means for the future of humanity.

Contenu

List of Illustrations

Introduction

Chapter 1. A Taxonomy of Cannibal Practices
Chapter 2. Slave Eating in New Zealand
Chapter 3. Slave Eating in the Bismarck Archipelago and Sumatra
Chapter 4. Ivory, Slavery, and Slave Eating in the Congo Basin
Chapter 5. The Roles of Arab-Swahili Merchants and the Congo Free State
Chapter 6. Understanding Congolese Slave Eating
Chapter 7. Commercial and Economic Aspects of Congolese Cannibalism
Chapter 8. Exploitation and Patriarchy in the Congo
Chapter 9. The Jameson Affair
Chapter 10. The Question of European Influences and the Obeyesekere Conjecture
Chapter 11. Foreigner Poaching in New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago
Chapter 12. Foreigner Poaching in Fiji and Central Africa
Chapter 13. The Trade in Human Flesh and in "Edible" Corpses
Chapter 14. Famine and Commercial Cannibalism in China
Chapter 15. Warfare and Culinary Cannibalism in China

Conclusion

Bibliography
Index