Final answer:
The cannibals Montaigne refers to are likely from the indigenous tribes of the Americas, particularly from the Amazon and Aztec cultures, where European historical accounts note practices of ritualistic cannibalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cannibals Montaigne discusses are from the newly encountered lands of the Americas during the time of European exploration. Specifically, these references might discuss tribes in the Amazon and regions occupied by indigenous peoples such as the Aztecs in Central Mexico, as these societies were often described by Europeans as practicing forms of cannibalism. Historical accounts such as those by explorers, conquerors, and missionaries contributed to the European descriptions and perceptions of cannibalism among the indigenous populations of the Americas.
These descriptions often served to justify colonial policies and the civilizing missions of European powers. They projected European fears and fascinations onto the 'Other', framing them as barbaric to bolster imperialistic endeavors. Contextually, different forms of cannibalism, whether ritualistic or a result of dire circumstances, have been reported across various cultures and periods, including among the Amazonian tribes described by ethnographers, in the sacrificial ceremonies of the Aztecs, and even in the desperate acts of survival at James Town.