Lore 312: To Serve Man
Summary
Host Aaron Manke explores the global history and folklore of cannibalism, from mythical monsters like the Kogurasu to cautionary tales of the Wendigo. He contrasts ritualistic endocannibalism with historical atrocities, detailing the horrors of the Nazino Island gulag and the Siege of Suiyang. The episode examines how context defines the act, ranging from acts of love to extreme survival and state-sponsored cruelty.
Topics discussed
Intro: Kogurasu, the crow-turned-cannibal monster
Cannibalism in Greek myths and dark fairy tales
Monsters as punishment: Wendigo, Jikininki, and famine warnings
Historical cannibalism: Neanderthals and European mummy eating
Endocannibalism: Ritual consumption as an act of love
Survival cannibalism: Donner Party and Andes rugby team
Nazino Island: The Soviet Gulag and starvation conditions
Nazino atrocities: Murder, cannibalism, and eating the living
Vasily Velikovich's report and the moral complexity of cannibalism
Sponsor segments: Chime, Gusto, Quince, and Barilla
Siege of Suiyang: Commander Zhang Xun eats his concubine and civilians
Outro: New book 'Exhumed' and support the show
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