What was originally believed by the South Fore tribe to be the cause of the disease Kuru?

The South Fore tribe originally believed that Kuru was caused by a mental disease resulting from a curse. This perception is rooted in their cultural beliefs and traditions, where phenomena such as illness were often attributed to supernatural forces or the actions of individuals within the community. The belief that Kuru was linked to a curse reflects the tribe’s understanding of health and disease in a cultural context, emphasizing the importance of social relationships and spirituality in their interpretation of ailments.

Kuru was a neurodegenerative disease that affected members of the South Fore tribe, and it was linked to their practice of cannibalism, specifically the consumption of deceased relatives' brains, which transmitted the prion responsible for the disease. However, since the tribe had limited knowledge of microbiology or the scientific explanation for Kuru, their existing cultural framework led them to interpret the disease as a result of mental illness or a curse rather than biological factors. This illustrates how cultural beliefs can significantly influence understandings of health and illness, leading communities to draw on their traditional narratives to explain otherwise unexplainable phenomena.