yeah Paul and just imagine the Maori's did not like the taste of some of the previous inhabitants of NZ. Don't hear you complaining about that.

runner, Cannibalism was an accepted practice by many people, so what is your point. In the case of Maori and other Polynesian cultures eating of human flesh was not a form of sustenance, but rather a "religious" undertaking with the belief that eating of a powerful enemy transferred that enemies mana (power) to you.

The Hawaiians, to their surprise that they were able to accidentally kill Captain Cook, ate parts of him, not to denigrate him, but honour him, wanted to take on Cook's mana. The Hawaiians offered Cook's leg bones back to his crew to show respect.

Just like a few short generations ago you Christians were burning people at the stake. At that same time as Polynesians were eating people out of respect for their power, you were torturing people with fire. Now who were the barbarians.

"Edward Wightman, a Baptist from Burton on Trent, was the last person burned at the stake for heresy in England in Lichfield, Staffordshire on 11 April 1612." Great, great, great grandaddy runner probably supplied the matches.

Is Mise,

You should ask your Indian wife about the
Indian widows pre-British customs - she
would know more about that subject - I'm sure.

Dear Paul,

This is worth a read:

http://www.abc.net.au/religion/the-uluru-statement-from-heart-one-year-on-can-a-first-nations-v/10094678

Now who were the barbarians.
Paul1405,
perhaps they were burning people at the stake out of respect for their power?

I love this story because it comes from a time when western civilisation knew what was right and was confident enough to do what was right.

Charles Napier was a British general in India in the mid 19th century. He happened upon a group of Indians preparing a funeral pyre to sacrifice a widow. He attempted to stop the murder but was told it was their culture and he shouldn't interfere.

He responded ..."“Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs."

The woman survived.

Foxy, yes, all the the elected councillors in remote communities are aboriginal and yes, my husband was aboriginal. Dark skinned aboriginal.
Also, all the members of the executive committees of aboriginal health, housing and legal services are aboriginal. As are most of the staff in these agencies. For example, all aboriginal health centres only employ aboriginal health workers, the only non aboriginal people are the doctors. And that because aboriginal doctors seem to want to work in mainstream health.
Aboriginal media is mostly all aboriginal staff. In actual fact, aboriginal people are having a say in every aspect of their lives, despite their complaining about not having self determination.