The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-02
"Eaten with Honor"

Perhaps the subject of the morality of
the cannibaI has never suggested itself to
the average reader. and heretofore not
even to the student Of sociological proc
! lens. But it has been made an extremely
! live topic by the eminent Psychologist,
| Dr. Flinders Petrie, whose article, Eaten
| With Honor" in the current Contempt
rary Review. has attracted almost unyer-
sal attention. DR.. Petrie's defense of the
| cannibal is as unique and startling as 1t
is Interesting, and to him the man-eaters
who have always, as a whole. been class
ed as a bad lot, owe a debt of lasting
| gratitude. According to Dr. Petrie, the
cannibal is far from being the bad man
that he has been painted. and when we
read an account of a Poynesian bill-of-
fare, in which human flesh in the shape
of entrees. steaks and chops. is the prin-
cipal article of diet, we need no longer
| shudder at the horror and condemn civil
cation for not having put an end to what
was once considered the worst of barbara
ties. Hunger, Dr. Petre informs us, is
not always the motive of the cannibal in
making a meal of a barbecued relative or
fellow townsman, but he may be actuated
by love and affection" method of ex-
pressing his regard which will still remain
shrouded in mystery and doubt. But true
1t is, says DR.. Petrie, and it is ''sheer
mental prejudice against strangeness
which puts the innocent and affectionate
cannibal below the moral offender"
DR.. Petrle's classification of cannibalis-
tic motives is one of the most interesting
features of his discussion, being, so to
speak, a statistical demonstration of the
mild manners, love and affection" of this
heretofore much-abused individual These
motives are
Honor. kindness, good, love. 20 per cent
For strength or magic results.19 per cent
AS ceremony ..................lO per cent
AS punishment ................ per cent
From hunger and need of foods per cent
From preference as food ....... % per cent
THE higher motives of honor and kind
ness prevail mostly in Asia, Australia
and South America he says, but seem
to be unknown in Polynesia North Amer
lea and Africa. The Tibetans considered
it glorious burial for their honored
elders to be eaten; some Australians also
eat the dead with the greatest and most
solemn honor, and the Tupi and Capana-
huas in South America did likewise. Be
sides this. it is often a matter of kind
ness and love for the dead. The Cucumas
of South America said that 1T was bet
ter to be inside a friend than to be swal-
lowed up by the cold earth And who
will say that they are wrong? Such seems
to have been the main sentiment in that
quarter of the world, as it appears again
among the Botocudos, Tapuyas, Mayor
una, Mundrucu and Guyanis."
DR.. Petrie's lucid explana ton of canni-
balistic motives may relieve the anxious
minds of many missionaries to whom the
stories of their devoured brethren have
brought deep anxiety and feelings of hor-
ror should they chance to be detailed to
follow them to such fields of labor. 1t
may relieve many a haunting fear and
doubt in the missionary mind to know
that, il eaten, it may be with honor, or
through kindness, though he still has a
considerable gauntlet to run as long as
the 46 per cent. who are eaten from pref
erence or from hunger, is maintained.
DR.. Petrie insists that utility is one of
the main objects of this custom, since it
gives the greatest satisfaction to the
greatest number.
We are extremely doubtful If DR.. Pet
rie's defense of the cannibal would ac-
quit the man-eater before an American
jury, however gratifying it may be to
know that the element of malice is al
most altogether absent. Still there is no
doubt that DR.. Petrie deserves
as much credit for his con-
tribution to science, as he
deserves honor from the class so ably
defended. Should he ever fall into canni-
balistic hands may he be "eaten with
honor" and not because the natives are
hungry and in need of food.