Arrrr, Long Pig Be What I Desire!

**Film row over Pirates 'cannibals'

Johnny Depp will star in the sequel of Pirates of the Caribbean

Plans to portray Dominica's Carib Indians as cannibals in the sequel to hit film Pirates of the Caribbean have been criticised by the group's chief.**

Carib Chief Charles Williams said talks with Disney's producers revealed there was "a strong element of cannibalism in the script which cannot be removed".

The Caribbean island's government said Disney planned to film in Dominica.

The Caribs have long denied their ancestors practised cannibalism. Disney was unavailable for comment.

"Our ancestors stood up against early European conquerors and because they stood up...we were labelled savages and cannibals up to today," said Mr Williams.

"This cannot be perpetuated in movies."

Shooting on the sequel is expected to begin in April, with hundreds of Dominicans applying to be extras in the movie.

Lack of understanding

About 3,000 Caribs live on the island of Dominica, which has a population of 70,000.

Many Caribs were killed by disease and war during colonisation up to the 1600s.

Mr Williams said he had received support from indigenous groups around the world in his efforts to have cannibalism references removed from the film.

But he admitted there were some members of the Carib council who did not support the campaign.

He said some did not "understand our history, they are weak and are not committed to the cause of the Carib people".

The first Pirates of the Caribbean film took $305m (£162m) at the box office in the US alone.

The cast and crew are to work on two sequels back-to-back, with the first to be released in 2006.

A tiny spot in the Islands of the pacific is Niue. They were once called "the Savage Islands" as the people who lived their tried to frighten visitors by eating a red type of banana and spitting it out to appear as though they were eating raw flesh of humans.

The name (Given by "Cook" I think) "Savage Islands" has since become a point of shame for them, as they still try to buck the image of being actual cannibals...which apparently they never were. (I've read similar things about Hawaiians and Tahitians)

The Maori's of New Zealand however make no fuss about it. They were well chronicled cannibals and seem not to mind people knowing about it.

The 'Cannibals' are also being portrayed as Headhunters it seems, as I was approached by the costume department to supply some shrunken heads. Geographically incorrect?un-PC?
Remember it's only a film.

You had me at "Johnny Depp"