Cannibalism It Still Exists Summary

In “Cannibalism: It Still Exists” author Linh Kieu Ngo writes an essay on cannibalism and gives examples of the many types of cannibalism. Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating human flesh. Ngo gives a very clear and precise essay on what happens when consuming human flesh. The first example he gives is about a group of Vietnamese refugees trying to get to Malaysia and ending up being lost at sea. In order to survive the refugees resort to eating other passengers that die on the boat. Another example Ngo gives is when General McArthur’s troops cut off supplies to Japanese troops on an island and the Japanese resorted to eating the island villagers in order to not starve to death. Ngo states that, “Survival cannibalism occurs when people trapped without food have to decide ‘whether to starve or eat fellow humans’” (224) In addition to survival cannibalism there is also dietary cannibalism.

They eat people because of the culture or tradition in their group or tribe. The last type of cannibalism Ngo talks about is ritual or sacrificial cannibalism. Ngo says that, “Religious or ritual cannibalism is different from survival and dietary in that it has a ceremonial purpose rather than one of nourishment.” (225) This form of cannibalism is instead used in a lot of tribes as a form of revenge for a dead loved one. In some tribes they make the victim wear the deceased clothes and belongings till the family feels the victim has become one with the spirit of the deceased and then they kill them and eat them. The tribe believes that the death of the deceased has now been avenged and their loved one can rest in peace. All in all Ngo wrote a very well written essay that keeps the reader’s