Final answer:
The statement about the Ndembu's belief in illness being caused by unclean pork cannot be confirmed without specific anthropological evidence about their beliefs. Prion diseases like kuru affirm the risk of disease through consumption of infected tissue, but this doesn't directly pertain to the Ndembu's beliefs about pork.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The Ndembu believe that an illness is caused by the consumption of ritually unclean pork' cannot be verified without specific anthropological information about the Ndembu's beliefs. However, it is known that cultural perceptions of disease have varied greatly throughout history and across different societies. Some cultures have attributed illnesses to spiritual or religious causes, while others have focused on more scientific explanations like germs or genetic factors. Prion diseases, such as kuru, show that consumption of infected tissues can cause disease. Although kuru was associated with ritualistic cannibalism in Papua New Guinea, there is no indication that this belief is held by the Ndembu regarding pork without further specific data.