The term “headhunter” has two distinct meanings. The term has come to describe a professional recruiter who finds candidates for specific jobs. In this context it is not regarded as sensitive. Historically the term has been used to describe someone who participated in the ritual practice of taking trophy heads, for example during times of war. This practice was done in many places and by many peoples across the world including Europeans. In the Netherlands, the term was first used in the 19th century. Headhunting has long been represented in popular books and films, often to give the impression of primitive, wild, cruel and bloodthirsty tribal peoples of the jungle. This portrayal misrepresents the significant ritual role it had for the proper functioning of those societies that practiced it. The use of such terms and ideas reinforces the idea that certain peoples are essentially unchanging and “primitive” (see also “Primitive” and textbox Kunst).