Headhunter is a person who cuts off the head of a dead enemy to keep as a trophy. Headhunting was usually a part of intertribal warfare. The heads were often used in rituals. Headhunters performed ceremonies after a hunt to prevent revenge by spirits of the dead.
Headhunting was formerly practiced in many parts of the world, particularly in Malaysia, Melanesia, and South America. In South America, the Jivaro Indians of Ecuador removed the skull and applied hot sand to shrink the skin of the head to a small size. The avenging soul of the dead person was then believed to be safely trapped inside. Today, headhunting is forbidden by the governments of all nations.
