.
If you haven't noticed by now,
[you're dumb]
Perry is Samoan.
.
*Do not confuse a Samoan Man/Woman living in Utah for a Tongan,
or you will be dead.
There is a conflict between Tongans and Samoans in Utah - for some reason.*
.
Meaning from the island of Western Samoa,
part of the Polynesian islands.
but
he is not full Samoan,
his mom is white.
Meaning you're only 50% Samoan,
does not mean you only partake of 50% of the traditions.
They do it all.
So, for Perry's gift to Jr. (his dad. Real name: Ulimasao),
Perry bought him a pig.
not a live pig,
a pig you can eat.
a pig which is seen as the most delicious thing in their culture,
next to some pretty unique foods,
that I won't even dare to try.
.
On Saturday Perry and I went to pick up the pig for Jr's Big bash,
because they are closed on Sundays.
We went to this cute little market...

Called the Hawaiian Hut.
It was a little slice of Hawaii,
and don't worry those white freezers are all behind me,
and are filled with:
octopus,
fish,
lamb,
pig,
pig feet,
fish head,
and many more parts of animals.
.
We waited a while,
because the pig was cooking at another location.
A couple years back,
my whole family had a luau for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary,
we had a pig just like this, cooked in my backyard.
They take this live pig,
kill it obviously,
then stick it on a stick and rotate it above a fire.
So finally, the pig arrived,
We were waiting for only about a 25 pound pig,
but then they man told us that they accidentally killed
the wrong pig,
a 60 pound pig,
but would only charge us for a 25 pound pig.
It was great for Jr and his bash,
but so sad for this pig.
.
We take it back to Perry's,
this is what I see...


Yes, they cook the pig with everything still attached,
eyes, ears, teeth, feet, etc.
and Yes, the Samoan culture eats all of that.
It's delicious, they say.
It also is a custom for the person being honored,
in this case Jr.,
to cut the pig and keep the head so they may eat it.
So I sat there like a little girl watching Jr cut the pig.
It was... interesting.

It smelled delicious,
but just like for my grandparents party,
I could not eat it,
because I am sitting there looking at it whole,
a whole animal,
that once was alive this morning,
and had no idea what was coming.
.
I did try it, though
I don't think Perry would have let me leave without trying it,
and it did taste pretty delicious until my mind got to me again,
"This is an animal,
you're a killer,
look at that face,
and you're eating it."
Eating like this could easily make me a vegetarian.
And I'm not a big fan of meat anyway.
.
There is just something different,
about getting chicken from a package,
or getting a cow in a patty between two buns,
It makes me forget that it once was alive,
and now I am chowing down on it's butt.
