I think I am going to be sick. Saw this in the news today and couldn't believe it. People in Peru are eating guinea pigs for their Christmas dinner, as it is a cheaper alternative to turkey or pork. I can't believe the newspaper includes a video and a recipe. In some lands this may be acceptable, but here in Europe, where my little PET piggies sit in my yard eating the best of veggies I can give them, I feel shocked. This is not news. It is animal cruelty. It is horrible how they dress the guinea pigs in Christmas outfits before killing them. Those poor little animals. I just feel sick.
http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/2827007/__Cavia_als_kerstmaal__.html?p=16,3
**** Okay, I'm going to add another installment to this post. I am feeling even stronger about my point after thinking about it all evening. I am not so upset over another culture eating guinea pigs. What bothers me is that it is being posted in a Dutch newspaper, with video footage AND a recipe for fried guinea pigs. In our culture, guinea pigs are pets. They are NOT a food source. I researched the history of eating guinea pigs in Inca culture, and it still exists in cultures today. So, yeah, it's the same as eating pigs or cows or, god forbid, horses. If they choose to eat guinea pigs in Peru, so be it. But, I am adamantly convinced, that in our culture today, where I am at this moment in time, this was an unneccesary article to publish. Maybe if there was an artticle published over Christmas cultural differences, it could have been included. But to write an article soley about eating guinea pigs and then include a recipe seems to me a shout out asking people to try guinea pigs. That to me feels wrong. If I want to learn about other cultures and their food I can go in search of that information. I don't need to find a recipe for frying up my beloved pets on the front page of the newspaper. I'm done venting. Good thing I don't have a farm filled with horses, pigs, cows and chickens, huh? And I managed to eat a vegetarian dinner tonight as well. Maybe tomorrow I'll fly off to Peru so I can try fried guinea pig without remorse. But here in Belgium I won't be eating that cute little critter dressed up in his Santa suit waiting to be slaughtered. C'mon, they dressed him in a Santa suit before killing him. That's okay? Culture, say what you will, but sometimes I am shocked.
Morning, afternoon, evening or night...life is always happening. Let me tell you what's happening in mine.
5 comments:
Of course I hate to see this, I mean I love my girls SO MUCH! On the other hand, it's culture. Guinea pigs were domesticated for food as early as 5000 BC in south america. They are also worshipped and regarded as being a medium for the supernatural in many South American cultures.
So ok, there is NO WAY I'm going to have roasted guinea pig for christmas dinner, and I REALLY don't enjoy seeing the photos of the poor lil things all roasted up, but I guess my reaction isn't quite as strong as yours is. We do the same, we just do it with different creatures.
Lisa
I'm of the belief that if you eat any meat at all, then you can't get mad at other people for doing the same. Cows have personalities. Pigs have personalities. Chickens have personalities. Yet, we eat them, so how can we get mad at another culture eating guinea pigs or cats or dogs?
I'm going to have to agree with the second part of the post. The article was a bit like "are you tired of taking care of Fluffy the piggy? Why not try her for Christmas dinner?" And you're right... we don't eat guinea pigs in our culture.
Lisa
Yeah.... I think I'm ok with never eating that species... But I'm sure they're shocked that we eat what we do. Culture is a wild thing eh?
I cant bring myself to look at the link.
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