Of Cannibals And Explorers

Woodcut depicting cannibalism among natives in America, from 1509 German edition of Amerigo Vespucci's "Letters to Soderini", Strasbourg 1509.Artist- Anon

On the Atlantic coast of South America, Magellan's fleet spent almost a year exploring the region and interchanging with its indigenous people. One interesting account by the Italian chronicler Pigafetta mentions about the cannibals of the land which is now present-day Brazil :

"They eat the flesh of their enemies, not as good meat, but because they have adopted this custom. Now this custom arose as follows: an old woman of this place of Verzin (Brazil) had an only son, who was killed by his enemies, and, some days afterward, the friends of this woman captured one of the said enemies who had put her son to death, and brought him to where she was. Immediately the said old woman, seeing the man who was captured, and recollecting the death of her child, rushed upon him like a mad dog, and bit him on the shoulder. However, this man who had been taken prisoner found means to run away and told how they had wished to eat him, showing the bite which the said old woman had made in his shoulder. After that those who were caught on one side or other were eaten. Through that arose this custom in this place of eating the enemies of each other. But they do not eat up the whole body of the man whom they take prisoner; they eat him bit by bit, and for fear that he should be spoiled, they cut him up into pieces, which they set to dry in the chimney, and every day they cut a small piece, and eat it with their ordinary victuals in memory of their enemies."

Interestingly enough, one of the areas reached by Magellan was the "Rio de Plata" -- bordering Argentina and Uruguay. The river used to be named in honor of Spanish explorer Juan de Solis, who according to some accounts, while in search of a passage to the Pacific Ocean in 1516, was captured and eaten by the natives of the area. We have to remember, one reason why Magellan was somewhat stranded in the southern coast of the Americas was also due to that search for a strait or a passage that leads to the Pacific.

Unlike Juan de Solis, Magellan found the fabled strait. (which now bears his name). But half a world further, he met his end. Lucky for him the Cebuanos had no liking for human flesh.

Pasig City. 27 February 2020