Asmat and teh cult of the scull

Asmat is the most famous cannibalistic tribe on Papua. They would put human skulls
under their heads instead of a pillow. They would eat brains of their animals mixed with
sago worms straight from their halved skulls. They live on small islands in mangrove
vegetation nearby the sea, on the south side of the western part of the New Guinea
Island. The Asmat build long houses, where they live together. Every family has its own
reserved fireplace. In the long house about six or even ten of the group members live.

Besides the fact that the Asmat were head-hunters, they also “hunted for names”. Every
person was named after someone deceased, or after a killed enemy. A child was
sometimes given a name only ten years after it was born, and after its village set out to
kill a man from an enemy village nearby. They had to learn the name of the man they
killed, and then bring his skull to their village. Only in this way could a person get a name.

Asmat did not only hunt for skulls, they also worshipped them. The skulls of the
deceased were stripped of the brain and the eyes and nasal parts were closed up in
order to prevent evil spirits to enter or exit the body. Skulls that were modified and
decorated in this way, were displayed by the Asmat in a honorable place in their long
homes. Fortunately, the evil reputation of Asmat has become history. The missionaries
have done a lot of work in changing this. Thanks to it, we can now go to the Asmats for a
“visit”.

Asmat tribe

Asmat Tribe
(from http://www.papuatrekking.com/Asmat_cannibals.html)

Bridging Prehistory, Traditional and Contemporary Rituals and Habits: Cult of the scull

International Institute of Anthropology, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Sambia Mount Hagen New Guinea

External links:
http://www.papuatrekking.com/Asm
at_cannibals.html

Bibliography:

Here be Cannibals