endocannibalism
- noun
- /ˌɛndoʊˈkænɪbəlɪzəm/
- Offensive
:
endocanibalismo
- The practice of endocannibalism, a ritual observed in some cultures, involves the practice of eating members of one’s own social group to honor the deceased.
Examples
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Some anthropologists have suggested that endocannibalism is something the dead would have expected from the living—a final gesture of goodwill to the tribe and family.
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Though no longer practiced (at least not that we know of), cultures that engaged in endocannibalism included the Melanesians of Papua New Guinea and the Wari people of Brazil.
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Referred to as "endocannibalism" by stuffy anthropologists, these "feasts of the dead" are a way to forge a permanent connection between the living and the recently deceased.
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The ancient tradition of endocannibalism served as a way for the living to maintain a bond with their ancestors and keep their memories alive.
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Among the cultures that practiced endocannibalism, it was believed that consuming the deceased would grant them a form of immortality within the community.
Synonyms
26
7.5
Eating members of the same species, for example people eating other people
The act of eating the body of another person
To eat the body of another person as food
An animal or person eating another member of the same species
Surface Forms
Morphology
endocannibalism = cannibalism (semi-transparent) = endo + cannibal + ism
The base 'cannibalism' makes the general idea clear, but the combining form 'endo-' ('within') is a specialized prefix that many learners may not know.
Etymology
The word endocannibalism combines endo- meaning 'inside' and cannibalism meaning 'eating members of your own group'. So, endocannibalism is the practice of eating people from within your own community, often as a ritual or in extreme survival situations.