| Sports |
Pig guts, anyone?
By JAMES KILA
Pigs are an important animal in all PNG traditional societies.
One is bound to eat pig meat in large quantities whenever there
is a feast for burials, marriages and at family gatherings
during Christmas and New Year.
Every province has its own unique way to preparing pig meat.
I recently treated my taste buds to pig intestines cooked in a
traditional mumu, Highlands style at Kimbrek village in Gembogl
in the Simbu province.
Kimbrek village is situated at the foot of the country's highest
peak, Mount Wilhelm.
The village is near two rivers which have their source from very
high up on the top of Mt Wilhelm.
These two river descend and meander down from the 'tower of PNG'
onto the valley as one to make up Wara Simbu and flow further
down to eventually exit as the mighty Purari in the Gulf
province.
The scenery in Gembogl is pristine and gorgeous, the air is
refreshingly cool.
The view of high mountains, deep gorges and hamlets situated on
steep mountain sides with fast-flowing river flowing far below
is indeed breathtaking.
Many tourists who visit Mt Wilhelm love the place and the
beautiful scenery.
The cool temperature of Gembogl allows vegetables such as
broccoli, bulb onions, cauliflower, garlic and sugar-fruit to
grow in abundance.
I was fascinated with the preparation of the pigs' intestines
for the mumu pit.
In most coastal areas pigs intestine are disposed of after the
animal is slaughtered.
In Gembogl pig intestines are a delicacy.
On this occasion four pigs were slaughtered for guests and
visitors.
I made it my business to stay up all night observing how a
traditional mumu is prepared.
It's quite laborious but very enjoyable because everyone is
involved.
A pit is dug a meter deep and about one-and half meters wide,
river stones are placed in the pit. Firewood is placed on top of
the stones and lit to heat the stones.
An hour or so later, the stones, now red-hot are removed and
placed at the side of the mumu pit. Stones at the bottom of the
pit are left.
Banana and bush fern leaves are placed on top of the stone and
food and pig meat is placed on top.
When the pigs are operated upon by an 'expert' the intestines
are placed on banana and bush-fern leaves.
It is then the work of the women who use small sticks to remove
the unnecessary waste in the intestines. They wrap them in fern
leaves together with the pig stomach, liver and greens and place
them on top of the rest of the mumu.
The hot stones are placed on top of the food and the pit is
covered with soil to allow the heat to cook the food, the pig
meat and intestines to perfection. Pig intestines are also
cooked in bamboos over the fire.
When the mumu was opened a few hours later three women Josephine
Tongane and Maria Simakus and Eliz Tongani invited me try some
pig intestines. It was mouth-wateringly delicious.
The people who make the mumu sit near the pit eating the pigs
intestines while the rest of the pig meat and food is carried
away to be enjoyed by guests and visitors.
 
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