Tuesday 20 March 2007

Pigs in Paradise

David Pacchioli writes about the quest of a few brave men to find the mysterious "pig half-man half woman" in the Republic of Vanuatu. In their quest they not only find themselves, but also delve into the mystery of intersexuality and maleness.

In Vanuatu, "pigs are a measure of wealth throughout most of the islands and are a part of many ceremonies. The most prized pig is the male with curled tusks. The upper canines are removed allowing the tusk to grow into a curl, a process taking up to 14 years. Pigs are used to pay for grade taking rights, penalty payment for breaking tabu, for trade and as gifts for marriage, death, circumcisions, initiations, etc. Ultimately the pigs are ritually killed by high ranking men and the curled tusk is worn by these men as a status symbol."


"Looking after your pig." From vanua.com

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