A Murderous Raid

Last night I watched a documentary on TV
about a group of tribe members conducting a raid
against a neighboring tribe. It was clear to see
that the decision to kill had already been made.

The males first worked themselves into the mood,
then set out single-file with murder in their heart.
They traveled slowly, being quiet so as to elude
detection, as they searched for an enemy apart

from his tribe. Luck was with them! A young male
was alone in the forest. With all stealth they slowly
surrounded him, using care their attack wouldn’t fail.
Suddenly they ambushed him, their attention wholly

focused on beating the youngster to death. They took
turns stomping him, until he lay unconscious and dying.
With great clamor their victory was celebrated. One look
showed their joy. Their plan worked, there was no denying.

Now happy and raucous, they hurried back to their tribal
territory. These murderous assaults are common between
neighboring tribes. Man often kills Man; even the Bible
tells us so. Ah, but here it wasn’t Man who was this mean.

Here the tribe members were chimpanzees. Thus, Man is
no longer alone in planning raids to murder his own kind.
If chimpanzees plot murder, does Man have murder in his
genes? Is murder of rivals instinctively buried in his mind?

The scientists wondered what great significance resides
in now discovering chimpanzees execute raids solely to kill
members of their own kind. Perhaps the urge for war hides
buried far back in evolution and is merely found in Man still…


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