Zabyacka

I had another Slovak adventure last weekend, and I think this story is best told (or at least begun) by sharing a series of emails between Eliot (my godbrother's father) and me.

At 8:30 last Saturday morning, I checked my email and noticed that Eliot had sent me a message.

It said:


Just checking to make sure I have a good email address for you.

The LRC one seemed to stop working. Hope you are well. That article in
the Disturber was something else. Our 15 min. of fame, I guess.

Keep in touch.

Eliot


I decided to take his request that I keep in touch seriously, so I shared with him what I had been up to that morning. Poor Eliot. I think he knows how much I love him. I also think he will never ask me to "keep in touch" again.

Hey Eliot : )

This is the email you want to use. LRC underwent a domain change when they switched from a college to university.

I hope you guys are having fun getting ready for Christmas. I will miss seeing Lisa's themed tree and xmas decorations this year! In Slovakia, the big cultural celebration that prepares everyone for Christmas is called Zabyachka, and it's happening today. A couple of families will buy a pig (150 kilo or larger) and kill it, burn the hair off, skin it, and then cut it into bits. I got up at 5:30 this morning to head out to the farm with a family, and watch them corral the pig and then slit its throat. It was an experience, let me tell you. Then, they hauled this pig into the back of the van and took it home. I left around 7;30 this morning when they were skinning it in the backyard. I figure I'll let them gut the pig, and then I'll head back out there. Apparently pig liver is a delicacy around here. Sweet Lord.

Tell everyone I say hello and send my love. It is always good to hear from you!

Peace,
Meg


I think Eliot's response speaks for itself:


Eliot's response:

geez. Thanks for that extremely descriptive update. Nothing like getting up at the crack of dawn for the traditional "slitting of the pig's throat".

Sweet Lord is right.

Glad to heat you are doing well.

Eliot

(could have done without the" pig liver" mention though)


Families have Zabyacka (pig killing) just before Christmas every year. This year, I was lucky (?) enough to be a part of it. Helena, our headmistress, and her family purchased a pig and invited us to be part of the sausage-making process from beginning to end. Because Eric, Becky and I went to the disco in Banska Bystrica the night before (and didn't get in until 3am), I didn't stay for the entire Zabyacka. My friends Heidi, Mark and Whitney made it the whole day! Here are some of my pictures from the actual pig-killing. (Disclaimer: They are a little gruesome.)







The three men who drove us to the farm corraled the pig and ended it's life. We were invited to watch as the pig's blood slowly mixed with the blood on the ground. It was sad to see, but still an experience that I am glad to have had.

The men loaded the pig onto a stretcher, and I was shocked to watch them unceremoniously dump the pig carcass into the back of the school van.





Once the men had paid (170 euros for a 150 kilogram pig), we headed home - with the smell of Mr. Pig wafting through the van.

We went straight to Helena's house where her husband who had gotten up as early as we had in order to prepare a fire outside so that we might begin the sausage-making process.

The men carried the pig from the van to the fire.



Then, they began washing the pig with hot water.





I left just before they took the blow torch out to remove the hair from the pig.

I asked my friends for pictures of the rest of Zabyacka. Here is the documentation of their day:











At 6pm, we were invited to Helena's house for Zabyacka Capusnica, a special pork and cabbage soup. Over dinner, we enjoyed the fruits of everyone's labor. Sausage, anyone?