Endocannibalism and Grief and Wine.

So when I looked through a few of the past blog post of some of my fellow bloggers I noticed a few about cannibalism. It got me thinking of an article I read last semester about evidence of cannibalism in remains found in the south western United States. Which then made me think of the first chapter of Parker-Pearson’s textbook and Yanomami endocannibalism. His description of the practice was very interesting to me. After the initial gross out of “ewwwww they eat their relatives” I started to think about what it actually means. I haven’t had a chance to do much reading about it yet. Lots of other work to be done.

Photo of grave with an Amphora of WIne from Colchester. Taken from  http://www.archaeology.co.uk/specials/the-timeline-of-britain/ad-43-colchester-roman-camulodunum.htm

I had a few minutes to spare and looked up endocannibalism in the Library article database. The first article I started to read is about Berawan in Borneo. It starts with a description of their wine making process and the one possible connection between the two rituals.  A separation of the solids and the liquids. The article by Peter Metcalf then goes on to discuss the validity of these stories of endocannibalism. The Yanomami drink the remains in their practice of endocannibalism. Thats not really where I’m going with this though.

Why similarities to wine making and consumption? Alcohol is a part of a significant amount of funerary practices around the world. From jars of wine being found in graves to bodies being boiled in wine before being transported home during the crusades. Is the connection supposed to represent the switch from physical to immaterial. Does the effect of alcohol on ones perception of the world. We ritualize the voyage of the spirit from our physical reality to the spiritual realm by getting a little closer to it ourselves in a relatively controlled manner. Cultures around the world have used mind altering substances to connect to the spirit realm for anything from medical practices to religious ones. Is it the fermentation process? Does the chemical reaction of the rotting fruits creating alcohol resemble the process of decomposition in a body that much? It does not seem like that far of a lea to me. Makes a weird sort of sense. 

Irish Wake. Taken from:
http://www.diggingthedirt.com/2012/02/10/journeys-through-grief-part-1/hw1873p204271/

The physical and emotional reactions to mourning, in my experience, are very similar to a separation from reality. 

There is also a positive aspect to all of these experiences. Creating a link to more positive times helps the mourning process. After the loss of someone creating a link to the world and the past/spirit realm allows the relationship a form of closure. One last conversation with the deceased.