History Main / CapturedByCannibals

* The first time you meet recurring character Clara Lost in ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', she's in such a plight. In the world Tribalstack Tropics, she's being held inside a large pot (also sentient, his name is [[PunnyName potty mouth]]), and she asks you to dispatch the "natives". The "natives" in this question are [[{{Mooks}} monsters]], which helps avoid the UnfortunateImplications the trope often carries. Amusingly, Clara Lost is ''[[DemBones a sentient skeleton]]'', so it begs the question of just ''what'' part of her they want to eat.

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* Actually used fairly straight in two novels of Literature/TheCulture. In ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas'', the protagonist encounters a group of natives who are at first welcoming, but then try to eat him. He literally pulls RegretEatingMe on them, as his BloodyMurder powers ensure death to anyone taking a bite of him. Also, in ''Literature/UseOfWeapons'', the protagonist is tortured and sacrificed by natives on a planet he lands on, and is down to LosingYourHead by the time he is rescued, and needs a new body as a result.

One specific, [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] version of ImAHumanitarian is the idea that when people from the "civilized world" (like missionaries and explorers) encounter HollywoodNatives, they are in danger of being eaten. The "civilized" characters may initially think that the natives are treating them as respected guests or even gods, and [[FatteningTheVictim fed better than they ever have been]]... but then, without fail, [[StewedAlive out come the pots and the chanting]].

One specific, [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] version of ImAHumanitarian is the idea that when people from the "civilized world" (like missionaries and explorers) encounter HollywoodNatives, they are in danger of being eaten. The "civilized" characters may initially think that the natives are treating them as respected guests or even gods, but then, without fail, [[StewedAlive out come the pots and the chanting]]. (And yes, metal cauldrons are often involved, even though your typical CannibalTribe wouldn't have the technology to make those.)

JungleDrums and a TribalCarry may well be involved. If they escape, they can expect to be ChasedByAngryNatives.

Sometimes, the eating aspect isn't as stressed, but the idea remains that the outsider will be attacked and [[HumanSacrifice sacrificed]] instantly upon entering foreign territory.

* ''WesternAnimations/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' avoids the racist connotations by going with a different stereotype, HillbillyHorrors, instead. In an extended parody of ''Literature/{{Deliverance}}'', Banjo Possum's equally hillbilly family attempts to turn Babs into rabbit stew while Buster is distracted doing a "Dueling Banjos" version of the theme tune.

* ''WesternAnimations/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMySummerVacation'' avoids the racist connotations by going with a different stereotype, HillbillyHorrors, instead. In an extended parody of ''Literature/{{Deliverance}}'', Banjo Possum's equally hillbilly family attempts to turn Babs into rabbit stew while Buster is distracted doing a "Dueling Banjos" version of the theme tune.

While cannibalism as a ritualistic or cultic reasons has indeed been practiced by RealLife tribes, most accounts of the type seen in fiction were likely apocryphal, spread by white men [[{{Demonization}} as an excuse]] for the use of military force as a means of "civilizing" and "pacifying" the "savages". More info is given on Wiki/TheOtherWiki [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man-Eating_Myth here.]]

** In a variant, the cook gets mad and starts banging one of the explorers with his ladle. The chief tells him to knock it off, the cook says "But chief, he's eating all the rice!".

* This is how UsefulNotes/BarackObama died. On September 19, 2009, his plane crashed in Samoa and he was eaten by the natives.

One specific, [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] version of ImAHumanitarian is the idea that when missionaries or other people from the "civilized world" encounter [[HollywoodNatives "natives"]] in a locality, they are in danger of being eaten by them. They may initially think they are being treated as a respected guest or even a god, but then, without fail, [[StewedAlive out come the pots and the chanting]].

* In one ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry'' game, there's a part where Larry runs off into a jungle and the player assumes control of his girlfriend, at which point she has to find him, and help him escape from ''lesbian'' cannibals.

** In ''Curse of Monkey Island'', the cannibals have relocated... and gone vegetarian. Doesn't stop them from trying to AppeaseTheVolcanoGod, but fortunately the volcano is lactose-intolerant and on a very carefully regulated diet.

** Subverted with the vegetarian "cannibals" in the the series. They still capture Guybrush, but afterwards they stand around and debate whether or not it would be healthy to eat him. They're also notably more annoyed by the fact that you stole their bananas than anything else.

* Creator/BobHope and Creator/BingCrosby are captured by cannibals in ''[[Film/RoadTo Road to Zanzibar]]''. The cannibals think Hope and Crosby are white gods... until, that is, the cannibals decide to test their divinity by having Hope get into a sidesplittingly hilarious wrestling match with a gorilla.

While cannibalism as a ritualistic or cultic reasons has indeed been practiced by RealLife tribes, most accounts of the type seen in fiction were likely apocryphal, spread by white men [[{{Demonization}} as an excuse]] for the use of military force as a means of "civilizing" and "pacifying" the "savages". More info is given on TheOtherWiki [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man-Eating_Myth here.]]

* Although the trope certainly over-sensationalizes the facts, a handful of [[TheMissionary Christian missionaries]] did indeed have the misfortune to be killed and eaten while attempting to reach tribes that practiced cannibalism: notably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Baker_(missionary) Thomas Baker]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_(missionary) John Williams]] [[note]][[Music/JohnWilliams no relation]][[/note]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Chalmers_(missionary) James Chalmers]]. Thomas Baker's boots, cooked with him but found to be inedible, can reportedly be seen on display in the Fiji Museum. It's believed that the tribespeople may have seen the Europeans as a threat and practiced ritualized cannibalism in an attempt to neutralize the enemies' power. In recent years the tribes (now Christianized) have held [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/8398126.stm formal ceremonies]] [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3263163.stm of reconciliation and apology]] with descendants of the missionaries.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/SurfsUp''. Chicken Joe is captured by native penguins who put him in a pot, which the oblivious Joe mistakes for a hot tub. He eventually befriends them with roast squid on a stick, which the natives find it TastesLikeChicken.

* There exists a whole mini-genre of {{exploitation film}}s centred on this trope; for examples, see CannibalFilm.
** The second half of ''Film/CannibalHolocaust'' takes this trope to its logical and insanely nightmarish conclusion. It's not like the film crew [[KarmicDeath didn't have it coming, though]].

* ''Film/MuppetTreasureIsland'' has an isle of wild boars who worship Benjamina Gunn (Miss Piggy) as a god, and attempt to cook the heroes. Naturally, the Swedish Chef is on the island as their chef ([[PaperThinDisguise with a fake pig nose slapped on]]). Definitely played for laughs.

-->'''Quatermain:''' Jessie...they're having us for dinner.
-->'''Jessie:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Well can't we just beg out, without offending them?]]
-->'''Quatermain:''' They're not having us for dinner, they're having US for dinner!

-->[First Aborigine speaks in Aborigine language]\\

'''Charlie:''' [winking] He wants to know if we're allowed to eat these men.

[[folder: Jokes]]

--> '''Tosh''': We're food.

-->'''Blackadder''': He was a third-rate captain, but a first-rate second course.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. The crew of Voyager are stranded on a planet, and are captured by a primitive tribe. Neelix says, "They're trying to work out what to make of us...not in a culinary sense, I hope."

[[folder:Magazines]]
* This is a recurring theme of "Duck" Edwing's one-page "Tales from the Duck Side" comics in ''Magazine/{{Mad}}'' magazine.
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* {{Music/Voltaire}}'s "Cannibal Buffet" is all about this.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Happened a number of times to ComicStrip/LittleNemo and his friends. One time a missionary showed up, trying convert the natives to vegetarianism.
* Disney does not like talking about the way Africans were portrayed in their 1930's [[ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse Mickey Mouse comics]]. This trope has a lot to do with that.
* One comic spoofed this by having an expedition come across the famous lost explorer they were searching for, inside a cooking pot over a fire. After they charge in to rescue him, the indignant explorer complains that he was [[DrumBathing just having a bath]].

[[folder:Pinball]]

[[folder:Videogames]]
* Subverted with the vegetarian "cannibals" in the the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series. They still capture Guybrush, but afterwards they stand around and debate whether or not it would be healthy to eat him. They're also notably more annoyed by the fact that you stole their bananas than anything else.

* Happened to WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle. {{Lampshaded}} and {{Subverted}} when they pointed out that since they're not human it's technically not cannibalism.
** This also happened to Sherman and Mr. Peabody during one of their segments on a trip to meet Dr. David Livingston. Peabody got them out of it by impressing the cannibals with some showmanship.