Cannibalism in
Brazil in the 16th Century
Cannibal feast on the Island of Tanna, New Hebrides
Cannibalism is where a person eats the flesh of another person. It is also called anthropophagy. Anthropologists are not sure how widespread it was, but it did happen in some societies.
The word 'cannibalism' comes from the Island Carib people of the Lesser Antilles. They got a long-standing reputation as cannibals when their legends were recorded in the 17th century. Some controversy exists over the accuracy of these legends.