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cuckleberryfins's review
5.0
HI I LOVED THIS.
IT WAS SO INSIGHTFUL AS TO HOW WE PERCIEVE OTHER SOCIETIES AND THEIR CULTURAL PRACTICES. WE PUSH OUR CULTURAL TABOOS ONTO OTHER CULTURES AND ITS SAD. IT STRIPS PEOPLE OF THEIR OWN CULTURES AND VALUES.
I really really loved this though. I can't recommend highly enough.
IT WAS SO INSIGHTFUL AS TO HOW WE PERCIEVE OTHER SOCIETIES AND THEIR CULTURAL PRACTICES. WE PUSH OUR CULTURAL TABOOS ONTO OTHER CULTURES AND ITS SAD. IT STRIPS PEOPLE OF THEIR OWN CULTURES AND VALUES.
I really really loved this though. I can't recommend highly enough.
evantudorelliott's review
5.0
Fascinating examination of a group of people who see death in a very different way and exposes how treatments of the dead that are anathema to Western society can be beautiful and important.
iplaruf's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
More textbook than story, but no less intriguing, this book highlights the belief systems and mourning practices of the Wari’ people.
circularcubes's review
4.0
Read for a class on Dying and Death. This book does a great job of exploring a culture that processes death and loss in a dramatically different way from western societies. Conklin gives the whole cultural psyche surrounding death (and hunting and meat-eating) a very thorough looking-over, which adds a lot of depth to their cultural practices of cannibalism, although sometimes I found it a bit long-winded. I also really liked hearing about the individuals of the Wari' culture. Really good read overall if you're interested in cannibalism or Amazonian native societies!
nidhisaakshi's review
5.0
Consuming Grief forces everyone to step out of their ethnocentric beliefs and confront one of the universal taboos: cannibalism. It makes you forget everything you think you know about cannibalism in order to understand why some societies practiced it as a way of showing grief and respect for their dead. To the Wari’, burying their dead in cold, hard ground is just as horrifying as consumption of the dead is to us.
mherrup's review
5.0
After reading this for a course on death and dying, I am left thinking about how critical anthropology is in understanding some of the most taboo subjects such as cannibalism. As the title says, "Compassionate Cannibalism" turns the entire concept from a Westerner's point of view on its head. The book reveals how the Wari' community historically mourned in this way out of love, respect and it being a cathartic ritual. The writing itself allows the reader to understand more deeply the emotions felt among the Wari' in grief and mourning. I ended this book reflecting heavily on how the West is quick to judge behaviors and traditions, such as cannibalism, without understanding the cultural context and meaning tied to it.
jourdanicus's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
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