I have spent the weekend in Ibiza killing pigs.
That’s not actually true. Only one pig was killed, its transition from life to death was no more than a moment, and I didn’t do the killing. So, better said, I have been at a pig killing- a matanza.
Transliterated from the Spanish Todos los cerdos tienen su San Martin means all pigs have their Saint Martin. Translated, it means that your misdeeds will be revisited on you. However, the pig is not killed because it has been bad. The phrase is borne out of the tradition of a family slaughtering its pig as the leaner months draw near. Falling on 11 November, San Martin marks the coming of winter and the need to hoard. An old Ibicenco dude told me that when he was growing up (Franco era), it was also the only day of the year when he knew he was going to get enough to eat.
Before la matanza – the killing - I made a preliminary visit to the farmer. There was a lot of winking and nudging going on and he was getting visibly excited at the prospect of a day’s sausage making. I suspect that the drinking and eating that always accompanies the ritual may also have played a part. I visited a couple of days early as I wanted to get his permission to take photos and write about it. Sure, no problem, he said as we went to the sty and he introduced me to the pig. Man, that pig was big. A hundred and eighty kilos big.
The actual killing was to take place at 8am on Saturday morning, to be followed by chocolate and buñuelos (aniseed doughnuts) whilst the blood drains. Then a day of butchery and sausage making with unending porrones* of local wine and culminating in a massive Arroz de Matanzas – a huge rice dish using some of the best cuts from the departed beast.
So Saturday, 8am sharp. With camara and knife.
(Posted out of sync, Saturday’s killing happens here tomorrow)
*A porron is that mad glass jug with a pointy spout that the Spanish drink from. They take great pride in pulling it further and further away from their lips without spilling a drop. I am useless at this so will enjoy being the laughing stock again.
Ay (ya yai) Que Rico Papito !!!