It’s a saying true of many customs and traditions of our beautiful land.
But there is one particular tradition that unites the whole of our peninsular, along with our fellow citizens living abroad in Australia.
The day of celebration connected to the “killing of the pig”, also known as the “maialatura”, “fer pcarìa”, or “far su el mas-cio”, is an immemorial tradition that is embraced in every corner of our nation.
Regardless of their place of origin, parents and grandparents remember well the atmosphere of joy and sacredness of the familiar peasant ritual that has been passed down from one generation to the next.
The custom involved defined roles for every participant, professional figures which no longer exist (such as the “norcino” a specialised travelling butcher who assisted families in the cutting and preparation of meat), and skilful gestures that mixed different arts and crafts.
Many recall a flash of excitement in the eyes of those participating in the grand celebrations, when that fateful time of the year came around.
Though in modern times the significance of the pig has changed, at one point this animal was one of the only reliable sources of sustenance for poor families.
Today this tradition continues only in some communities, and is more widespread in the cellars and garages of Australian cities, where people buy meat and fat from their regular butcher to produce homemade salami and sausages.
The custom now marks an opportunity for the young and old to gather and partake in the fun and entertainment of the process.
The best time of the year to make these tasty products is in the winter months, and this is when the tradition is usually carried out.
Originally, the coldest days, usually between the end of November and January, were chosen as the meat dried quicker in these conditions resulting in a more rapid processing and better conservation.
In some regions, the “killing of the pig” was matched to fall on specific dates in concurrence with other significant events.
For example, January 17 marks the feast day of Sant’Antonio Abate, the protector of domestic animals, in particular the pig.
The saint was often referred to as “Sant’Antonio del porco” (Saint Anthony of the Pig) and is often depicted next to a pig in popular iconography.
In accordance with age-old folklore beliefs, the lunar phase was also an important consideration in the timing of the tradition.
The ritual
On the appointed day, women on the farms prepared boiling water in a large caldron/furnace, and meanwhile the men prepared the trestle poles on which they would hang the body of the slaughtered pig so that they could butcher it with ease.
The pig was forcefully brought out from the sty to near the trestle, where it was killed with a long sharp knife which the butcher drove into the heart or the throat.
Meanwhile, a woman would be waiting with a pan to gather the blood that gushed out of the animal’s wound, to create a special dish called the “sanguinaccio” (black pudding).
When the body of the pig appeared to be completely drained, it was placed on its side on top of a wooden plank to be skinned.
Boiling water was then poured over the body, while a large bladed knife was used to scrape the bristles off the animal.
The process was then repeated on the other side.
To finish with, the hooves, tongue and larynx were removed.
At the end of this process, the pig was hung by its back legs on two hooks or on a ladder and gutted, starting from the groin.
The innards were extracted, along with the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, tripe and brain, all of which had to be consumed quickly as they perished easily.
The women then proceeded to wash and salt the intestines which were used to make sausages, even though the use of cow and horse intestines was abundant for this process.
The animal was then divided into two parts, “le mezzene” (half-carcasses), one of which included the head in some regions.
Often the head of the pig was offered to the lord or a powerful figure of the community as a trophy with great symbolic importance.
Nothing went to waste
The cheek muscles were removed from the head of the pig and dried, and were then used as a condiment, or were otherwise eaten as prosciutto.
The rest of the head was cooked and eaten.
Only the innards were consumed fresh and were the highlight of the celebrations, when the peasant families could finally satisfy their atavistic hunger for meat and fat.
The remaining parts of the pig were conserved and used as the meat supplies for months to come.
The lard was well-seasoned with salt and pepper before being preserved, and from time to time a piece would be picked up and used.
The lard cuttings were dissolved with heat.
The liquid lard was used mainly to preserve sausages.
The sausages were placed in pots which were then filled with liquid lard which, when cooled, became white and preserved the sausages for months, given they weren’t exposed to the air.
The front shoulders were used to make either salami or ham.
The rear parts became the best ham and salami products, while the upper part of the back was used for steaks.
Even the bones were used, either to make a broth or soap products.
The bristles were collected and used as paintbrushes.
