After Killing a Pig

After Killing a Pig
the tongue is removed. it will likely be cooked with the chicharrone.

In a Maya village in Belize, a pig is commonly killed to celebrate a special event during which many people are expected to be fed. Days when men are working together to build a house or plant corn, weddings and holidays are often occasions to kill a pig. Every part of the pig, with the occasional exception of the very tip of the snout, is eaten. Without refrigeration, processing the pig swiftly and cooking the different meals with precise care is critical to everyone’s health. One could argue that the social aspects of the work needed to accomplish this tremendous task are important to health as well. It was a privilege to be part of this extensive process many times. Here are some highlights:

Kristina Baines is our resident cool anthropologist. She’s been formally trained in applied, sociocultural, ecological and medical anthropology at Florida Atlantic University (BA, MA), the University of Oxford (MSc) and the University of South Florida (PhD). She has a strong interest in corn, how what we do in our environment makes us well, and using innovative methods to make anthropology relevant and accessible to a wide audience. You can find out more about how these interests translate into projects and pursuits by perusing the rest of our site, or you can contact her directly at kristina@coolanthropology.com

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