Analyse the ways in which Cannibale explores the interconnected nature of colonial and post-colonial histories.

Cannibale is an authentic story which depicts colonial attitudes in the 1920’s against a backdrop of native revolt in New Caledonia half a century later. The colonial mentality and attitude emphasises the belief in the imperial power that those natives that they rule over are in some way subhuman and should be treated as such. The very fact that a group of 30 Kanaks are substituted for zoo animals from Germany to replace the crocodiles that have died suggests that they are interchangeable and at par with each other.

The treatment of the Kanaks is to say the least degrading. They are trained to behave like savages and are used as a source of amusement for the native French. “Tout les cinq minutes d’un des notres devait s’approcher pour pousser un grand qui en montrant les dents pour impressioner les badauds.”
“Au cours des jours qui ont suivi des homes sont venus nous dresser comme si nous etions des annimaux sauvages. Il fallait fairer du feu dans des huttes mal concues dont le toit laissait passer l’eau qui ne cessait de tomber…”
“Les femmes etaient obliges de danser le pilou-pilou a heures fixes. Le reste du temps malgre le froid , il fallait aller se baigner et nager dans une retenue d’eau en poussant des cris de betes.”

They are treated like zoo specimens by the French people and this treatment seems to be ironically condoned by the church- “des religieuses den corvette revees par la mere superieure, une delegation de Saint-Cyriens coiffes de leur casour. On nous jetait du pain, des bananas, des cacahuetes, des caramels… Des cailloux aussi.”

There is a lack of understanding of indigenous cultural beliefs and lack of respect for their dead. “Nous vivions sur le troisieme pont comme des Passagers de derniere categorie. Il y a eu trois morts si mes souvenirs sont exacts. L’equipage a jete leurs corps a la mer sans nous laisser le temps de