francene--blog. Year 2013
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May 2nd

5/2/2013

 
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commons.wikimedia.org
Early Jamestown settlers turned to cannibalism to survive. Would you do the same? Put yourself in the immigrant' position. You've arrived in a new land. The natives are attacking you so there's no way to go out and find food.

James Fort, founded in 1607, was the earliest part of the Jamestown colony. In the winter of 1609, known as the Starving Time, 300 English settlers waited for supplies. During one of the most horrific periods of early colonial history, the indigenous Indian population held the settlers under siege. With insufficient food to last the winter, they ate their horses, then dogs, cats, rats, mice and snakes. Some, to satisfy their cruel hunger, ate the leather of their shoes. Nothing was spared to maintain life.


Picture
www.britannica.com
Written documents had previously suggested the desperate colonists resorted to cannibalism, but the discovery of the 14-year-old girl's bones during excavation offers the first scientific proof. Definite scrape marks on the face showed the brain was removed by a shaking, inexpert hand. Further analysis indicates she'd eaten a well-nourished diet consistent with richer classes. Smithsonian researchers believe the dead child became food for a community struggling to survive.

The original inhabitants, the Indians, were defending their great land from invasion. That is understandable. We would all do the same right now. Around 14,000 native inhabitants known as the Paspahegh tribe, initially welcomed the colonists with dancing, feasting and tobacco ceremonies. The relationship soured after they had provided crucial provisions and support for the survival of the colonists, who were not agriculturally inclined.


Picture
Replica of girl's face
When Lord De La Warr sailed into the Jamestown settlement with food and new colonists after six months of siege and starvation, only 60 of the original 300 settlers had survived. See the full BBC article here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22362831

The breakdown with the Indians led to the total annihilation of the Paspahegh in warfare within 3 years.

The immigrants are not accused of murder for food, but of taking advantage of the circumstances. Experts can't tell how many of the growing numbers of dead were cannibalized. But the girl would not have been the only target.

Faced with the same circumstances, I don't know how I'd cope. Only young, fit people would have braved the journey, so I wouldn't be there. Is survival important enough to eat the flesh of those you once loved? How could the survivors face God? And what of the karmic repercussions? Would that memory linger on through further lives?


Cher link
5/1/2013 10:02:12 pm

eeek! I have always been very finicky where food is concerned and being high raw vegan I reckon I would probably die before eating any kind of flesh!
Yeah Karma! Not only would the thoughts linger, but the loved one would live in our emotions, organs, blood and breath through our pores! Or at east that is what would happen in my head :)

Francene Stanley link
5/1/2013 10:16:45 pm

I agree. The act would live on both physically and mentally.

AMummysLife link
5/2/2013 06:28:30 am

They were talking about this on the news here the other day! Interesting isn't it? NZ also have a history of cannibalism among the Maori tribes and on the British settlers arriving there.

Francene Stanley link
5/2/2013 06:45:12 pm

As do the aboriginies in Queensland, Australia.

Suerae Stein link
5/2/2013 09:47:01 am

From what I've read, starvation can lead you to desperate measures, as if you are not of sound mind. You would probably resort to doing things that you couldn't imagine doing when not in those circumstances. So, I don't think I can answer, not ever having suffered such torture. And I don't think I could judge others either. That said, I am sure it would stay with me mentally and physically. I probably wouldn't be able to live with myself once I was sound again.

Francene Stanley link
5/2/2013 06:46:32 pm

We can never tell how we'd act in certain situations. I've always said I wouldn't fight to save my life--but I've never had to.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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