Consuming Grief: Compassionate Cannibalism in an Amazonian Society
Abstract
Mourning the death of loved ones and recovering from their loss are universal human experiences, yet the grieving process is as different between cultures as it is among individuals. As late as the 1960s, the Wari' Indians of the western Amazonian rainforest ate the roasted flesh of their dead as an expression of compassion for the deceased and for his or her close relatives. By removing and transforming the corpse, which embodied ties between the living and the dead and was a focus of grief for the family of the deceased, Wari' death rites helped the bereaved kin accept their loss and go on with their lives. Drawing on the recollections of Wari' elders who participated in consuming the dead, this book presents one of the richest, most authoritative ethnographic accounts of funerary cannibalism ever recorded. Beth Conklin explores Wari' conceptions of person, body, and spirit, as well as indigenous understandings of memory and emotion, to explain why the Wari' felt that corpses must be destroyed and why they preferred cannibalism over cremation. Her findings challenge many commonly held beliefs about cannibalism and show why, in Wari' terms, it was considered the most honorable and compassionate way of treating the dead.
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Direct observation by ethnographers and anthropologists makes reports of ritualistic cannibalism possibly the most reliable evidence for it.
“However, direct observation by ethnographers and anthropologists (e.g.Albert, 1985;Clastres, 1968;Conklin, 2001;Dole, 1962;McCallum, 1999) makes these reports possibly the most reliable evidence for ritualistic cannibalism.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Reports of endo- and exo-cannibalism among the Wari' have been documented by Beth Conklin (2001) during several field seasons.
“Reports of endo-and exo-cannibalism have been documented by Beth Conklin (2001) during several field seasons.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Any soft tissue and bones left after the eating took place were burned and the ashes disposed of as 'garbage'.
“any soft tissue and bones left after the eating took place were burned and the ashes disposed of as 'garbage' (Conklin, 2001) (Table 2).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
The Wari' practiced an elaborate form of cannibalism until the 1960s, when government workers and missionaries forced them to abandon the practice.
“They practiced an elaborate form of cannibalism until the 1960s, when government workers and missionaries forced them to abandon the practice.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Soft tissues were eaten by all members of the Wari' community, with the exception of the persons responsible for the killing.
“Soft tissues were eaten by all members of the community, with the exception of the persons responsible for the killing”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Wari' disposal of the final remains was made either by grinding and eating them or by burning and pulverizing them.
“Wari' disposal of the final remains was made either by grinding and eating them or by burning and pulverizing them (Conklin, 2001) (Table 3).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
For both Fijian and Amazonian groups, the act of eating human tissues of dead bodies by members of the same group is their expression of funerary practices.
“Both for the Fijian and Amazonian groups, however, the act of eating human tissues of dead bodies by members of the same group is their expression of funerary practices (in the Wari's words '"Je kwerexi" [Thus was our custom]'; Conklin, 1995;2001, p. xviii).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Evidence from South America is indicative of well-established cannibalistic practices among these populations.
“Likewise, the evidence from South-America is indicative of well-established cannibalistic practices among these populations (Albert, 1985;Conklin, 2001;Dole, 1974;McCallum, 1999).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
Amazonian funerary endo-cannibalism involved eating substantial amounts of soft tissues, including, in some cases, the ashes of the deceased.
“This contrasts markedly with the funerary endo-cannibalism practiced by Amazonian groups, who ate substantial amounts of soft tissues, including, in some cases, the ashes of the deceased (Conklin, 2001).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Conklin, 2001
It is common for groups that engage in funerary endocannibalism to also practice warfare-related exocannibalism, with both forms embedded in symbolic and ritual frameworks.
“In fact, it is common for groups that engage in funerary endocannibalism to also practice warfare-related exocannibalism, with both forms embedded in symbolic and ritual frameworks12–14,64.”
From Evidence of neolithic cannibalism among farming communities at El Mirador cave, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain (2025) · cites this paper as [12]
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Cited by 231
- Authors
- Conklin, B. A.
- Corresponding author
- Conklin, Beth A.
- ORCID
- Conklin, Beth A.
- Venue
- University of Texas Press eBooks
- Publisher
- University of Texas Press
- Published
- 2001-12-31
- OpenAlex
- W4254786643
- Cited by
- 231
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 14.52
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- University of Texas Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Indigenous Studies in Latin America
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Keywords
- mourning, funerary practices, Amazonian indigenous peoples, personhood, body and spirit, memory, emotions, cremation
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