Thursday, December 20, 2007

Porky Palpitations

Pigs at this time of the year are very twitchy in PNG!! This is the Christmas Party Season, and any party worth its salt has the ubiquitous pig on a spit or mumu (cooked in the ground on a bed of hot stones).

Pigs are very smart. They immediately know that someone walking towards them with a large bush knife and a bottle of pork marinade, is not coming to wish them Merry Christmas. So it is a good idea not to sneak up on a pig at this time of the year; they are inclined to startle easily, which may cause them to jump up, grab their wee little chests, roll their eyes and faint dead away!!!

I am writing this post at the moment with ear-plugs in, as a poor little pig is being slaughtered next door at the resort, as I type. Pigs know they are about to die and the screaming that they emit is enough to chill you to the bone, curl your hair and turn you into a sobbing mess.

The only escape is to go to work for a few hours.

Post script – After I put this in drafts, I removed my earplugs and went to work. I was there for less than 10 minutes when I heard a pig screaming – I thought I was hallucinating, or the pig from the resort had escaped and rushed down the beach! But no, out of the back of the Principal’s ute comes this trussed up pig for the staff break-up tomorrow. The pig will remain tied to a stake, like the one in this photo, until dawn when he will meet his maker. I’m thinking of becoming a vegetarian.!

29 comments:

M.Benaut said...

I guess one could say, "When in Rome... ".

Perhaps we all forget that pork from the butcher started off as a little fella like this !

Some people may be surprised to learn that Australia is the only country to eat both animals on its national emblem; the kangaroo and emu.

Anyhow, for those that haven't read your blog, today, Jules, the pig on the spit will be succulent and delicious. I hope they save you some ?

Jules said...

M Benaut I am the first to hoe into a nice juicy steak and a rack of lamb but it is just I normally don't see the animal or hear it screaming before I eat it!! I also don't want to know what it looked like, what colour it was...... and it upsets me to see it trussed up all day and night before the deed is done.

I guess I'm a hypocritical carnivore thru and thru hey!!!

Marcel said...

Even though I grew up on a farm and helped slaughter more than one animal in my life, I’m with you. I too would just as soon eat the tasty little buggers without know all the details of how the meat got on my plate.

You are right Jules, your home and my homes are about as different as it can get. I also agree that is just one of the things that makes the daily photo blogs so fun and helps make this world a smaller place. I was telling a friend today how much I enjoy cruising over to your blog each evening to see what you have posted. I truly enjoy seeing your very interesting posts from your corner of the world! It’s also fun seeing into the future since our time zone is nearly a day behind yours.

Thanks for your kind words on my Sitka, Alaska Daily Photo Blog. I truly wish you a very happy holiday season!

Cheers,

Elise said...

Interesting to see your today's post, as we have been posting about pig slaughter that took place here for three days now ! I had the same feeling about becoming vegetarian...
Pilisvörösvár Daily Photo

dive said...

I'm old enough to remember the winter pig-killings on my grandparents' farm when I was a kid, Jules. Gran would drain the blood and make black puddings. I have to admit they were delicious!
If we're going to eat animals,we should be comfortable with the whole process.

Jules said...

Marcel - thanks for the kind words - that's why I struggle and swear and throw things each day to post - the connections are worth ever buggar, bum, bitch i say!!

Ok Dive - that's it - I'm off to find some lentils!!!

Elise - thanks for visiting - not sure whether I should visit you or wait until the pig slaughtering is over!!!! I'm a little fragile at the moment.

Anonymous said...

I feel for you Jules - I once had to shoot a pig because I had contributed to the 'bulk live pork buying' that some friends were into. Not a happy thing. I feel you need to find that 'someone' and go back to the tree on the beach with wine and a beach chair. In such a place we could all enjoy olives and cheese and not kill anything.

Anonymous said...

Sad in a way. The pig knew. That is the sad part. To him, it was a short life and the pleasures some pigs will have he will never know about. To be gnawed on by humans is not much of a future.

Anonymous said...

Poor little pig. I do love roast pork though. I can't imagine ever being comfortable with the process of slaughtering and butchering though and if I had to eat something that I had been forced to watch being slaughtered, then I think I would be ill.

Jules said...

Bear - so true - so true - I think I could live under the tree on the beach with "that someone", olives (Greek of course) and Cloudy Bay !!
Only thing is there may be a few sandflies to kill - but that is ok I can cope with that!!

mm beaut & Abe - I so agree and tomorrow i won't be eating that loving big fat black pig!!!

Annie said...

Just yesterday a neighbor and I spoke about eating roasted pig skin and the meat that fell off the bone. Neither of us had heard the pig scream before its death and I'm sure that I'd have foregone the meal if I had. It's so easy to deny there was once a life full of emotion.

quintarantino said...

oink... oink... Jules, the first photo is amasing specially because of the contrast between the white/pink on the pig's skin and the dark mud...

Donna said...

Sweetheart! I'm SO sorry you saw and heard all that...If you had called me...I would have brought my task force and found a way to free the poor things!!! My Mother had a Pet piglet just like the one in the picture...we loved him...he slept in her houseshoe! lol

Bobby D. said...

very funny post--your writing is entertaining!

Bobby D. said...

Of course the later, screaming part was not funny...

K M F said...

intersting

Dave said...

My goodness! LOL

I suppose you have to be there to experience exactly what you are speaking about!

First time to your site.
Have a great Christmas. :-)

imac said...

Cor, sure puts you off Pork,

Lovely roast pork roll with stuffing and crackling, er umm
oh I cant give up suck scrumpshush food haha.

Maybe another day.

come and see the 2 pathways of life.

NorthBayPhoto said...

Wow...quite the photos and commentary.

Thanks for visiting my NorthBayPhoto blog.

M.Benaut said...

Jules sent me an urgent transmission on my blog....

"You need to talk to Benson M B - he got beaten up by a girl cat ".

Benson, my good little friend, there are a few things that you need to know about girls.
Firstly, they like to be wooed.
Y' can't just rush up from behind and expect ANYTHING like what you were thinking. That's how you got scratched.
They like to be told how pretty they are before you can get all lathered up. This can sometimes take quite a few minutes !
You also have to check out the opposition, mate. There could be a couple of other chaps in the neighbourhood who think they have first dibs.
Think about scaring them off, - any way that you like.
Gifts; they like presents. Perhaps some nice juicy rats or ghekos, preferably still wriggling.
Wriggling is a girl thing.
Have a lash at this first and get back to me. I do hope your leg gets better soon, but you should go for the less experienced ones first. They haven't had so much training in repelling the male advances.

Benson, cobber, I do hope you have a ripper pussycat Christmas !

Chuckeroon said...

Oh, J.......I'm speechless.

quintarantino said...

... came back for some more ham ...

Jules said...

M Benaut - I hate to break the news but.....I am an IT and I don't actually find other cats attractive although the dog next door is very cute!!!
I was just strolling through the compound when "Whamm" out of the bushes she jumped, wriggling her bottom at me, flicking her tail, meowing sweetly, flashing her long eye lashes and other annoying behaviours. She just wouldn't leave me alone. I told her to "puss off" but she got worse and then finally she lashed out at me crushing my front leg between her pearly white fangs!!!
Ungrateful cow!!! Bloody hell - what was the problem???
Lili the dog says she was looking for LOVE - well bloody hell I've forgotten what I'm supposed to do and don't think I could if I knew anyhow.
My leg is still bad and the Misis has to carry me everywhere and I get to sleep on her bed which is most pleasant - think it will be sore for a lot longer!!!!
Well M Benaut I have put out my stocking hoping Santa will drop a rat or bird or maybe even a spare pig in it!!!
Meowy Christmas to you and The Good Woman.
Love Benson
PS - I'll let you know how the leg is!!!

Jules said...

Quinto - you are are hoot. Sorry they ate the lot and I had none of it!!! If you'd let me know I could have saved you a piece!!!

Tom said...

ha! Porky Palpitations are what I get...

Marie said...

Oh poor animal. Pigs are more intelligent than dogs.

Hyderabad Daily Photo said...

Indeed poor animals! Sounds terrible.

Neva said...

I am with you...I think vegetarian sounds much better than pig screaming...I mean, have you ever heard an orange or a soy bean squeal? nope,,,didn't think so!!!! I am amazed at your corner of the world and how different it is from anything I have experienced....

Anonymous said...

When you have a steak, or a pork chop, just remind yourself that you are eating dead flesh, and if that sounds ok, then you have no worries!