Introduction: Sex Lives of Cannibals

The group had varying reasons for choosing the book. We all agreed that the foreign nature of the topic would be fun and interesting to explore, and give us a better appreciation for how we live in the United States. It was not exactly the idea that we would be reading about the South Pacific, it dealt with the fact that we were reading about a culture so different from our own. It also helped that the author was Maarten Troost who is well acclaimed, and our group thought it would be interesting to read his work. We are excited to read this book, and gain some insight and knowledge into the South Pacific.
Our group is going into this book with some common biases and stereotypes about this culture. We believe that people living in the tropics are lazy and laid-back. We also see the area as a paradise with tropical fruit, palm trees, clear blue water, sandy beaches, and easy living. The atmosphere of the area is “tribal” and “savage” with traditions of cannibalism, body piercing, and Shamanism. Based on these stereotypes we concluded that Kiribati is probably part of an undeveloped area of the world, and it is considered to be an undeveloped third world country.
We are not going to let these stereotypes hold us back while reading the book. We’re all going into the experience with open minds. By reading the book with an open mind we can benefit much more from Troost’s interesting experiences. We hope that by learning about another culture we can have a better appreciation of our own.