May 22, 2009

Pelegostos in Pirates

A posting on the cannibals in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,which aired this week on TV:"Ma boogie snickle-snickle. Toot de suite, come on!"
―Jack Sparrow speaking the Pelegostos language

The Pelegostos were a tribe of cannibals native to Pelegosto.

Culture

"The feast is about to begin. Jack's life will end when the drums stop."
―Joshamee Gibbs

The Pelegostos were a warlike people, and relished the taste of "long pork," or human flesh. Sailors were known to trade valuable spices for long pork, and some may even have lured unwitting victims onto the island.

Behind the scenes

  • Around 130 members of the Kalinago Nation—the original inhabitants of many Caribbean islands—were used as extras in the Pelegostos scenes.

  • Walt Disney Pictures has been questioned by the National Garifuna Council, a representative body of the Garifuna people, for what they feel is a racist portrayal of the Calinago, or Caribs, as cannibals in Dead Man's Chest. The Council called for what they considered to be a fair and accurate representation, and Disney responded that the script could not be altered. No known changes were made to the film regardless of the council's concern.
  • Comment:  For more on the subject, see Picking on Pirates and Pirates Parodies Indians.

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