Did the aboriginals sacrifice people?

Question

I am talking about the aboriginals who first lived in oceania. Did they sacrifice people for food? If not, why did they kill them? if possible could you tell me the source incase i need to find out anything else on them.

Answer 1

Using the term aboriginals is confusing.  If you re talking about Australians then no, at least not with any regularity.  If you mean Polynesians then the issue is complicated.  Captain Cook reported cannibalism on several islands and I believe his crew reported incidences in Australia as well.  The problem is whether they saw cannibalism, wanted to see cannibalism so they made it up (or believed in it but it wasn't true) or whether their influence may have encouraged natives to participate in a practice that was foreign to them.  This issue is debated back and forth in all instances of reported cannibalism.  

I believe cannibalism existed in Polynesia if only on a limited scale.  In places like Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji  it is/was done to absorb the spirit of your fallen foe, in South America they engage in mortuary cannibalism, eating of your dead ancestor to continue their life through you.  These are different that survival cannibalism, eating for nourishment in extreme circumstances.  The trials faced by Polynesian explorers leaves little doubt for me that this occurred at some point.  But I do not believe it was wide spread or institutionalized.