'Human composting' as a systemic response to industrial deathcare: Reclaiming embodied circularity in end-of-life economies
Original framing: “What is 'human composting'—and how does it work?” — Phys.org
Indigenous knowledge frames human composting not as a novel invention but as a reversion to ancient ecological wisdom. Tribes like the *Haudenosaunee* (Iroquois) practiced *skinning* (a form of decomposition) where bodies were returned to the earth in a way that nourished the land, aligning with their belief in the interconnectedness of all life. The modern practice, if implemented with Indigenous consultation, could correct historical injustices like the forced removal of Native Americans from burial grounds (e.g., the *Sand Creek Massacre* site, where remains were later exhumed and scattered). However, the risk of cultural erasure looms large—corporate actors may repurpose Indigenous concepts without acknowledging their sacred context or compensating communities for land use. The potential for reparative justice is real, but only if composting centers are co-designed with Indigenous stewards rather than imposed as a top-down solution.