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Not gonna lie folks: this episode gets dark; the story of a super swine slaughter. But, there's also some tasty morsels of info on Taiwan's favorite meat, and the pig’s place in the island’s history and culture. Plus, a final happy ending involving little cute piggies.
Cover image via the Livestock Research Institute (LRI) in Taitung.
Below: Hunting party bags boar. Photo via the article mentioned in this episode, "Hunter and Hunted," first published in 1963 by what was then called the Free China Review (now Taiwan Today)
Barbarian at the Gate: From the American Suburbs to the Taiwanese Army – by T.C. Locke (2015)
The former T.C. Locke now goes by the name T.C. Lin (林道明). Visit his photography website HERE.
Josh Ellis Photography is an excellent website with wonderful pictures of all things Taiwan, including the notorious Yimin Festival (義民祭) and its “Pigs of God” (神豬). These force-fed pigs grow to amazing weights, but pressure from animal rights groups might soon see this part of the Yimin Festival begin to fade away. Tons of great photos on goteamjosh.com.
Below: An image from a Taiwanese-language film that introduces the details of mating Yorkshire pigs with local pigs for production.
Below: TAIPEI TIMES article: First Lanyu pigs born after reintroduction to island. Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture
OTHER "RABBIT (PIGGY) HOLE" LINKS:
PIG RAISING AT TAIWAN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP NO. 3.
The Unusual Life of the Lanyu Miniature Pig
Breeding and Supply of Laboratory Minipigs
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Write us with questions or ideas at formosafiles@gmail.com
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Check our very first episode, the story of a very white man who showed up in London in 1703... and claimed to be from Formosa. Or try a foodie episode from Season 3. Or, for those who want some harder-core history, hear the tale of the Lockheed U-2 pilot Wang Hsi-chueh 王錫爵, who became famous for defecting to the PRC by hijacking China Airlines Flight 334 on May 3, 1986.
