A YouTuber travelled to Papua Island ‘in search of the world’s last humans who eat other humans’
A YouTuber has captured the eerie moment a cannibal belonging to an indigenous tribe explains why he eats humans.
American content creator Drew Binsky is a travel blogger who has claimed to have visited all 197 countries in the world.
In a video from last January, the YouTuber shares with us his visit to Papua Island, home to the Korowai tribe.
YouTuber Drew Binsky said he was left ‘speechless’ by his trip to Papua Island (YouTube/Drew Binsky)
The group who are unwelcoming to intruders is thought to consist of up to 3,000 individuals.
Typically, the hunter-gatherers rely on sago palms, fish, and small game to survive.
Though the reason why they eat humans has got nothing to with survival.
“I learned that the Korowai don’t eat humans for enjoyment or nutritional value,” Binsky said.
“It’s simply a form of punishment.
“You steal something, you get burned over a fire and eaten.”
One local who translated the words of a cannibal explained: “He have us see the some people coming to kill but yeah he’s scared when he see he’s just scared about them.”
The cannibal explained why he does it (YouTube/Drew Binsky)
Binsky continued: “The Korowai believe that mysterious deaths like diseases are attributed to the Khakua or evil demons who take on the human form.
“Khakuas are said to disguise themselves as friends or family members in an attempt to gain the trust of the tribe so they can later kill them.
“It’s Korowai tradition to perform cannibalistic rituals on anyone believed to be a Khakua so they can protect the tribe’s members… it’s part of a revenge-based justice system.”
Reflecting on his trip, the traveller added: Papua Island is a wild place, to say the least.
“In many ways, it’s considered ‘the last frontier’ in terms of off-the-beaten-path places on earth.
“And I went there completely alone, in search of the world’s last humans who eat other humans.
“It’s the last known place on earth to have this kind of bizarre culture and tradition.
“Papua Island is (politically) split into two halves.
“The Western half is a part of Indonesia, while the Eastern half is Papua New Guinea, an independent country.
“I showed up in West Papua, all alone, and had to figure out how I was going to travel deep into the jungle to meet the tribe.
“After a massive logistical nightmare, I ended up making it to the tribe where I spent two days, and it was absolutely incredible to learn about their unique way of life.”
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Drew Binksy
