Monday, May 9, 2011

When recycling goes too far

I was talking to my partner about what Filos call “kanin baboy” a Filipino term that doesn’t have a direct English Translation because I am assuming that first world countries do not feed pigs such nasty food. Oh wait, I think its pig slop. Kanin Baboy is fed to homegrown pigs. It is a mixture of leftovers that a local pig owner collects from house to house. These are not your usual leftovers, in fact, some may even be so spoiled that they are breeding with maggots. FUCKING GROSS. You usually see these home-bred pigs in slums or in provincial areas. I don’t know if eating such disgusting rotting spoiled food negatively affects pigs but it does sound really gross. So I asked him:
“If pigs eat leftovers, does that mean it eats pork as well? that’s fucking silence of the pigs…”

He said they do so I was thinking maybe it would have adverse effects like diseases or something. I couldn’t find any information on the net, what I did learn was something way grosser than kanin baboy…
Goa is a state in India popular for its coastal areas. The beaches, churches and temples are what attracts local tourists in the summer and hordes of foreign tourists in the winter. Goa has lots Portuguese influence thanks to 450 years of colonization so its different from the rest of India, architecturally as well as culturally, which is mostly British inspired.

Other than the amazing coastal attraction, Goan food is also famous for its elaborate fish recipes. The staple of Goa is Fish Curry. But when it comes to special occasions, Goans roll out a feast of Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel, dishes made from pork.
Another food essential is the spicy Goan sausages. These spice-rich Portuguese inspired sausages  can keep for 8 months and a must-have in every Goan pantry, a perfect last minute special ingredient that is added to dishes for unexpected special meals, like when unexpected company arrives.

According to those who have tasted Goan sausages, they are bursting with flavor and has a little tang.

I am big foodie and I have always considered myself to be not squeamish at all. I eat really strange foods like insects, worms, internal organs, etc. Weird even for a Filipino (we are known to eat really exotic animals and even animal parts) with the exception of domesticated pets, because, what the hell, I have three Labrador Retrievers and they are family.
The reason I’m talking about such is because of the way Goan’s feed their pigs. Here is an
excerpt from Wikipedia: 
A pig toilet is a simple type of toilet consisting of an outhouse mounted over a pig sty with a chute or hole connecting the two.The pigs consume the faeces of the users of the toilet. They are mainly found in the Indian state of Goa, and are waning in popularity.The subsequent use of the pigs for food carries a significant risk for human health

Gross? Now here’s a photo.



Some tourists who have tried relieving themselves in these highly ingenius toilet confess how uncomfortable it is to do your on private business whilst feeling the eager pigs hot breath on your behind. Some of them did not have the slightest idea that their excrement will serve as a hot meal for the pigs. As they head to the toilet, they see these swines just below the room and did not think twice of their purpose there as pigs roaming free or housed in the most unusual places are not uncommon in India. As they approach the entrance, the pigs would start to get excited. Inside the room is a long stick near the squatting area.


(mental picture of a dude squatting for a shit and a pig’s snout excitedly awaiting for a fresh turd to drop. LOL)

Now you may wonder what the stick is for. Apparently, the pig/s get so excited for their juicy meal that they do have the tendency to attack. Don’t be too kind and be such an animal lover if this does happen because these pigs are vicious. Really dangerous, there was an incident that a German tourist who refused to slap the pig’s snout with the stick was rushed to the hospital because the hungry pig attacked and took a chunk from his behind…. EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew.

How in hell can you take a dump if you can hear the excited snorts behind you and feel the hot panting breath on your ass AND KNOW that there is an excited animal ready to grab a bite from your ass with its 44 teeth at anytime??? tell me because I cannot fully wrap my head around this! And if you have taken a dump in these things, they say that it is not uncommon to have fat, healthy turd drop and settle on the pig’s snout! *squirming in disgust*

And okay, given that you have already taken a dump, how can some people eat these pork dishes knowing that the animal you they are eating was fed a diet of various people’s dirty, nasty, stinking SHIT??? Call me culturally ignorant or culturally discriminating but this form of recycling is too extreme for me.

And what happens to the pig’s shit? he has to shit sometime too, right? I asked my partner.
“It probably eats it too… defeats the purpose if it doesn’t.”
My stomach is in knots. This is really just too much. And get this, “pig toilet’s” meat are priced above any other meat. Some tourists were highly put off having fed a feast of pork and taking a dump and learning about this really extreme Goan tradition and that they were served these “shit eating pigs”.

*shudders*

It is said that this Goan tradition is dying out in most parts of Goa but still kinda popular in Arambol ( a place in Goa). I’d like to say its a good thing because, honestly, I find it really gross despite being an exotic foodie and a true advocate of environment preservation.

If ever I set foot in Goa, I’m not touching any pork. According to one chef who went to Goa to learn and start making the prized Goan Sausages
“Together we went around looking for farm breed pigs instead of the local ones, and did find a few but were put off as there were no enforceable systems to safe guard the public, and here I’m talking of the tourist as locals are used to eating these foods and don’t get ill. “
I don’t know how accurate this information is but feel free to educate me. I’d love to hear that there is a regulation on the meat quality and cleanliness like a Bureau of Food and Drug or a Health department. There are Goan Sausages that are made in UK.. maybe I’ll try those, but with a  cringe on my face because I cannot get the idea of what real Goan Sausages are made from.

*shudders again*

I found this video on youtube. It is about this BBC journalist shitting in one of the pig toilets… ENJOY! Please leave your comments.


Goan Pig Toilet-actual video