Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Drew Binsky
Topics: World News, Travel
Gerrard Kaonga
A tribe in Oceania uses cannibalism to punish thieves and ward off demons according to a traveler.
Drew Binsky, an American travel blogger claims to have visited every country in the world, a total of 197 out of 197.
During his travels, he has spent significant time in Oceania and has interacted with people who live in some of the most remote parts of the world.
While in Papua New Guinea he spent time with the Momuna tribe and heard stories of the neighboring Korowai tribe.
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He was told that the Korowai tribe live in similar fashion to that of our Stone Age ancestors, in that they wear little or no clothing and hunt using traditional bows and arrows.
He was also told that tribe partakes in cannibalism as a part of punishment.
“I learned that the Korowai don't eat humans for enjoyment or nutritional value,” Binsky explained.
“It's simply a form of punishment.
“You steal something, you get burned over a fire and eaten.”
He went on to say that he was told the Korowai people believe in an evil demon named Khaku that is said to possess people and consume them from the inside, ultimately turning them into a witch.
He explained: “The Korowai believe that mysterious deaths like diseases are attributed to the Khakua or evil demons who take on the human form.
“Khakuas are said to disguise themselves as friends or family members in an attempt to gain the trust of the tribe so they can later kill them.
“It’s Korowai tradition to perform cannibalistic rituals on anyone believed to be a Khakua so they can protect the tribe’s members… it’s part of a revenge-based justice system.”
Although he did claim that the tribe had strict rules around the consumption of human flesh.
They would not eat the hair, nails or penis of those eaten and children under 13 are now allowed to human flesh for fear of becoming possessed by the ‘demon’ itself.
The tribe has remained isolated from the outside world and it wasn’t until the 1970s that the tribe was even made aware of people in other parts of the world, the Daily Star reports.
Since then, the tribe has remained wary of others and a jungle guide, named Kornelius, said he was handed human meat and was told to eat it or leave the tribe. After consuming it he gained their trust.