day of pork between ritual celebration and death 
This post is about a day a bit 'particular passed in my country, Molise, between the cold wind of the first days of January and a tradition between supermarkets and prohibitions provided to excess, continues to survive and stimulate emotions. I'm talking about the day of the pig, or "lu jurn ca 's' lu porcj sloth," said in dialect. The day that families and friends dedicated to the killing of this great animal, so dear to my land. In the past, be able to raise a pig, a barn to do and money to buy it, it was sign of wealth among the people of the small town where I come from. Of this animal, you know, do not throw anything away, and the possibility of retaining the form of sausage meat gave way to many farmers to change their diet. Not only beans or mixed vegetables then, but also proteins, succulent sausages, ventricine, capocolli, salami and ham laden tables farmers in the most beautiful ones in which we find ourselves in celebration with friends and relatives. It is those who were parties, because they were rare!
To kill a pig farmer with the method, without a cold room and feeding the beast only natural and healthy stuff, there are two conditions which can not be ignored: the first, trivial, is that the pig fat is beautiful, the second most important, is that the day chosen face so cold, so the meat does not dry out too much and fails.
arrive at the farm of Nicholas for the nine, not exactly early, but in time to witness the killing of the second pig giornata -quel giorno ne sarebbero stati uccisi tre-. La mattinata è ventosa e molto fredda, ed io non ho a disposizione l'abbigliamento necessario a sopportare la temperatura, nè per stare in un luogo dove non ci si cura più di tanto dell'etichetta e della pulizia dei propri vestiti. Mi vengono allora dati degli indumenti più appropriati alla campagna: una tuta da meccanico, delle scarpe anti-infortunistiche, un gilet e una fascia per le orecchie per proteggermi dal freddo. Pronto e finalmente al caldo mi preparo ad assistere al rito. Quando si ammazza un maiale tra la gente che vi partecipa c'è sempre una particolare eccitazione e l'atmosfera è carica di attesa. Le persone presenti sono molte e con ruoli diversi. Il protagonista, il principale architect of the demise of the beast and who, by his own cleverness, from 'the possibility of hog to suffer little, is the man who deals with throat cut. He was holding a long sharp knife like a sword-wielding extreme wisdom and confidence. His job is to find the best point where insert the blade under the throat of the pig, to make it bleed to death in a short time, does not suffer much and the meat is completely free of the vital fluid. It sounds easy, but I assure you, it's not for nothing. Other bystanders have different tasks: what is the pig in the stable block and drag out those legs that stop at the time of sticking, others who deal with work and pelarlo le interiora e poi ci sono quelli come me che, curiosi e impazienti, assistono in silenzio e a una distanza dall'animale che si fà via via sempre minore.
La masseria in cui mi trovo ha un caseggiato principale che funge anche da abitazione, accanto al quale, sulla sinistra, sorge una costruzione non rifinita fatta di mattoni e cemento adibita a stalla per gli animali e rimessa per i mezzi agricoli. E' qui che si trova il maiale, ed è proprio davanti alla sua stalla che verrà ammazzato. Innanzitutto due coraggiosi si occupano di tirarlo fuori dalla stalla. Dico coraggiosi perchè il maiale è un animale piuttosto forte che, se in pericolo, non lesina morsi e testate. Per bloccarlo e agevolare il dopo gli is tied a rope around one of his hind legs. This will hang the art and, if installed properly, will stop at the heel, which in pigs is well above the toes. Like all animals including the pig feels the approach of its time, even more if you front of the barn was recently killed his fellow: it smells blood in the air, heard the screams, the noises and curses of the peasantry. The second animal to die is more and more nervous and less gentle than the first, and we need all the wisdom needed to ensure that things trickle away smooth and hassle-free. Once locked, the beast is pulled away strongly from their stables and the party starts here truculent. It 'really hard to describe the screams and the wiggling of a frightened pig. They are very strong, and the pictures of the body, intended to get rid of vice, are the last, desperate attempt to avert an inevitable destiny. The pig in question, then, has no intention of dying and screaming and struggling, sells dear skin and makes you sweat seven shirts for men trying to restrain him. She puts on her knees and puffing so much that I, a few feet away, almost feel her breath on my face. Rests his nose on the ground, which turns red with blood and guts of some pig killed shortly before, and starts pulling out his tongue for the effort. Strong pulls and tries to wriggle, but he can not go anywhere, la sua fine è vicina. Il tallone non è troppo sporgente e la corda non riesce a bloccarsi e a immobilizzare l'arto. C'è bisogno di tutta la forza e la pazienza dei contadini presenti per portare a termine l'operazione e appendere il maiale per la zampa posteriore, a testa all'ingiù. Finalmente la corda si blocca e in due riescono a fissarla, con un gancio, alla forca di un muletto. A questo punto la parte difficile è conclusa, l'animale è stato immobilizzato o, per lo meno, non può più scappare. Ma ha ancora tre zampe libere, e mentre e appeso, capovolto, scalpita come un dannato. Ora, per facilitare il compito di colui che lo dovrà sgozzare , c'è bisogno di immobilizzare almeno altre two legs: the other one of the two front and rear, possibly the opposite lower limb immobilized. This is done with extreme caution, because a leg or a head around the corner and the forces of the pig, in a situation of extreme danger, have multiplied dramatically. Received a blow at this time could be extremely painful for anyone. But it succeeds, everything is ready for the climax.
Hundreds and hundreds of years are included in this gesture, that to many might seem cruel, bleak and devoid of sensitivity, but for my people who still carries on this tradition is only what must be done. Without sentimentality, without thinking too much. The life of a food animal for human survival. Today it is more convenient, and hypocritical, go to a supermarket, buy in polystyrene trays and Wrapping the meat already butchered and brand that I am describing the practice as barbaric. Most people who consume meat has never seen the animal that is eating alive. The would suck. Would not be able to swallow. Were overcome by grief, compassion and disgust, but at the first opportunity, away from the fearful look in front of the beast and a juicy steak, without hesitation, begin to cut the meat and swallow. Caring about the animal that gave it. People who kill animals are not in series, for own consumption and to provide reliable products are to be admired. These people respect the animals, their servants, takes care of them stay healthy and not abused. The animals in question do not live in batteries, side by side in places where you can not even accuccino. They are destined to die, it is true, but in a world that has lost contact with food, with the sacredness of food and with the practice of procuring a meal, or at least work with the materials to make them edible, what I am describing is a story that reconciles us with our need to feed ourselves. Without sentimentality, without thinking too much and without hypocrisy.
back to where we were, currently topical the pig is now firmly, locked at three points. His neck is smooth and a pink crayon. Here, I must say the truth, I have inside me a start. The wind has lost its intensity and a weak sun popped out from the winter clouds, its rays directed toward us, as if to better illuminate the point where the pig will get the knife. Her throat is now clearly visible. After a short phase, during which the animal continues to do up and down with the boss, the man with the knife, grabs him by the ear to keep him even more firmly. After that, wham, a blow dry, inside and out in less than a second and from the gash opened in his throat starts to exit the blood. Spray the top has little strength, but then, driven by the fear that heart pump with more diligence, purchasing power, to become a strong revenue. The blood on the floor creates a very compact stream, bigger and bigger. Without even realizing it my feet are now lapped by the red fluid, which heat and low air temperature emits a dense vapor that comes up to my nostrils. As the seconds pass the blood gushing from the wound on the throat of the pig loses intensity and becomes a little intermittent. It 's still alive, but in just a little issue last breath, the last roar, the last grunt and breathe. The head is now appesa, senza vita, e si muove slegata dai muscoli e dai tendini che l'hanno governata fino a poco prima. Tra di noi, allora, la tensione si placa e la tranquillità prende il posto dell'agitazione. E' davvero la fine.
Il corpo del maiale, pronto per essere lavorato, è poi posto su di un particolare tavolo con le ruote, fatto a forma di conca e con delle sbarre sulle quali viene appoggiato l'animale. Si utilizza questo particolare appoggio per far scolare via l'acqua bollente utilizzata per staccare i peli che ricoprono il corpo. Una volta irrogato il corpo con il liquido bollente, con una particolare spatola non affilata si gratta la cotenna e la peluria viene via con facilità. La pelle del suino è molto hard, if not for this, without hair, the touch would be very similar to human. Following this step and pull the nail, with an incision at the end of the legs are pulled out the two hamstring, that man should be the Achilles' tendons. These are very strong and are used to snap the legs, a contraption made of iron triangle and placed precisely between the tendons and bone, with the top rope to do it. Need to take apart the legs of the animal and at the top has a hook that is tied a rope to hang it up and start to remove the entrails.
say that the interesting part is over, partly because the slaughter of an animal is more or less the same for any animal. The fundamental peculiarity of the pig, which also characterizes the stage of division, it is precisely that which concerns the usefulness of each part of his body. Today something is thrown away, but until a few years ago it was all important. It has special care especially in the extraction and clean intestines, which then serve as enclosing the minced meat. To understand, you see the skin around the sausages are nothing but dried casings with the meat.
I think I have said it all, or at least have said what I was interested to say. The last important thing of the day was lunch, where slaughtered meat is eaten first. It is usually fried with garlic, but you can also make a tasty sauce for pasta. And then, wine and Nahor wine, lightly cocludere a day full of tensions, but at the same time of celebration.
I hope this story, or rather, reportage, not shocked much people love animals, because there is no numbness, or practice described, nor even in the hearts of people, and myself, who have participated. And 'the ancestral party game that always informs the world. You can not change our nature omnivorous hunter first, and then farmers.
My last thought I would dedicate the to all who consume only packaged foods, because they have the ability to do otherwise. Try, as much as possible, to regain a line with your food. You have to. The food is what we are, what we are, and in it, in its manufacture, are enclosed millennia of culture and eating habits. We try not to waste it all together, and not over-consumption. With our food choices we can keep alive traditions and small producers who would otherwise disappear, and to create a revolution from below, more than ever that adheres to our age of unbridled consumption. We use our daily food choices to make political choices, to improve il mondo e, soprattutto, per rendere più degna la vita degli animali che ci permettono di sopravvivere.
Un grazie e un abbraccio sentito al mio amico Nicola e alla sua famiglia per avermi dato la possibilità di prendere parte a una tradizione che, giorno dopo giorno, sta scomparendo sotto il peso degli ipocriti burocrati e di coloro non hanno mai visto una bestia da vicino
