I’ve
got the Día de los Guajolotes duty here at La Bloga again. Luckily,
I've just finished Man Corn: Cannibalism and Violence in the Prehistoric American Southwest
by
Christy G. Turner and Jacqueline A. Turner, the classic book of
cannibalism in Aztlán!
Yeah,
it’s disturbing. There are those who would prefer that it be the case the
Aztláni were pansexual vegetarian pacifists, but there’s way too
much forensic evidence to the contrary. And it would dishonor our
ancestors to misrepresent them.
Even
though it's probably as politically incorrect as bullfighting, I’m
proud of my cannibal heritage. My connection to the Aztecs delights
me. And is there a more badass way to step out of the mindset of
Western Civilization?
I’m
also fascinated with cannibalism here in el Norte. After all, the
border did not exist. “Mexican” and “American” tribes moved
around the continent, fought and traded with each other.
Why
are the Mohawks known by a name derived from mohowaog,
a Narragesett word meaning “man-eater?”
How
did the extinct (or should we say “exterminated?”) Karanawas manage to have their native Texas Gulf Coast known as the
Cannibal Coast?
Why
do conquistador accounts sound more like outtakes from European fairy
tales than documented native practices?
I’ve
visited a lot of the sites where the evidence of cannibalism was
found. Man
Corn
cuts
close to home.
It’s
a scientific, academic study; evidence is presented, and there
is a lot of it. The bulk of the book consists of the data from forms
filled out about each site. No sensationalism, just the facts, ma’am.
Descriptions, numbers, dates, locations . . . It should be dull, but
it’s . . . disturbing.
All this “body processing” for
consumption. Like
our ritual “processing” of our Thanksgiving turkeys.
The
word “disarticulated”comes up often. An interesting word.
There
are a helluvalota photos of bones. Disarticulated, of course, and
damaged in ways that indicate that that flesh was removed, and
sometimes cooked. Most probably eaten, too. Why else would you
go to the trouble to do that to a body?
Look
at your turkey after the feast.
The
damaged bones, arranged so they can be identified take on the aspect
of abstract art. A new kind of beauty, if you can detach it from the
fact that they are the remains of human beings, reduces them to pure
data. There but for the grace of the gods . . .
Most
of these incidents of violence and cannibalism are attributed to the
Anasazi, in and around Chaco Canyon. I’ve visited a lot of the
sites. The tourist information concentrates on the sophisticated
architecture, and the petroglyphs that show a detailed knowledge of
astronomy. Forget your stereotypes of cannibals as brutish
primitives.
The
victims were men, women, and children. The disarticulated bones are
often found in structures that have been destroyed,
burned, roofs collapsed, abandoned . . . was it ritual sacrifice? Warfare? Mass
psychosis? Cult behavior?
The
possibilities of a Mexican connection/Aztec influence is suggested. Photos of Aztec-style “dental
mutilation” (tooth sculpting that is really impressive when you
realize they were done with stone tools) are included, but the Chaco killings were
done with blows to the head, while the Aztec by heart removal.
Some
mysteries can only be solved with the help of a time machine.
I’m
reminded of what a character in my novel High Aztech
said:
If
you don’t acknowledge the cannibal inside you, he’ll come out and
take control when you least expect it.
So,
happy disarticulating!
Ernest Hogan recently discussed High
Aztech with
the students of William Nericcio’s English 220, Robotic, Erotic,
Electric class at San Diego State University.
