![]() Everybody knew it could happen-there were even folk songs and ballads that referenced survival cannibalism, such as “Little Billee” and “The Ship in Distress.” Everybody knew at least one famous voyage that ended in survival cannibalism. Survival cannibalism was the unspoken secret of being a European or American sailor, especially in the 1800s. But there are just as many instances of perpetrators of survival cannibalism, once rescued, going on to live a long life and becoming valued members of the community. Of course, some people were still looked at with fear and revulsion-some had their reputations destroyed or were legally court-martialed. It’s due to the dire straits nature of survival cannibalism that historically, the practice is looked upon with more sympathy than its non-survival counterpart. The important asterisk there is “in order to survive.” The Donner Party was survival cannibalism. In the 1700s and 1800s, if you were a sailor who had the ill luck to participate in survival cannibalism, you undertook the “custom of the sea.” Survival cannibalism is defined as the act of a member eating a different member of the same species to survive. A family member hasn’t died, they have passed away or they’re with the Lord now. ![]() An animal is put down or crosses the rainbow bridge. ![]() It’s human nature to ascribe gentle euphemisms for horrible things that happen. ![]()
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