Meet udre udre, the guy who ate a thousand people

Cannibalism: Fiji's unique and disturbing version of the keto diet. ​

​While Hollywood sensationalism would have us believe that the practice of eating other humans is driven by a crazy lust for the taste of blood, many level-headed historian-types argue that cannibalism was primarily used as a form of psychological warfare and intimidation by the inland tribes in Fiji. I thought so too until I learned about Udre-Udre (pronounced Undre-Undre). 

See, Mr. Udre-Udre ate nearly a thousand people. 

A chief in Rakiraki, an area in northern Viti Levu, Raku Udre Udre died in 1840 and at his tomb were left a long row of stones. These stones totaled 872 in number and there were many areas missing with large gaps. Around 1849, it was confirmed by his son that Udre Udre indeed ate one person for every stone found at the grave. Filling in the gaps, historians now estimate his number of victims may have been as high as 999. 

Udre's meals were a result of tribal wars, and I guess he did a lot of war, because it was reported that humans were the sole component of his diet. That's all he ate. If this were just about psychological warfare, then you'd think he'd make a big show in public but then sneak off and monge on some pig or taro, right? But records say that he never went anywhere without his little box full of 'people snacks'. That sure sounds like a classic case of human flesh-eating obsession. 

To this day, his grave is still just off of King's Road on Viti Levu. It's not well-publicized, perhaps because the sheer magnitude of his hunger for humans is genuinely terrifying. 

Find Udre-Udre's grave on the King's Road near Rakiraki.

Happy Halloween! 

​http://www.cultofweird.com/death/udre-udre-fiji-cannibal/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/udre-udres-gravewww.atlasobscura.com/places/udre-udres-grave


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