A pig-slaughter feast is precisely what the name suggests – the slaughter of a pig out in the open by a master butcher, the processing of the meat and intestines in front of those invited and subsequently a boisterous pork feast accompanied by drinking, music and dancing which generally leaves everyone much the worse for wear.
Nowadays it may sound brutal that the most popular community tradition in Hungary is tied to the killing, bleeding out, and chopping up of an animal. But if we look away from our (often rightfully) emotional modern world, the tradition of pig slaughter truly comes off as an enjoyable and community-shaping event. This tradition is present in countries neighboring Hungary as well, but here it’s considered an especially meaningful practice. In times of old, when the weather reached a stable freezing cold in December, and people didn’t need to worry about meat going bad outside, friends and families would get together and begin the slaughter. Days set for a pig slaughter have always had a custom dictating how they should unfold.
In the old days, the home breeding and slaughtering of pigs several times a year was an economic necessity. People would stock up on meat for the harsh winter months or slaughter a pig to provide for a big celebration such a wedding or a christening in the family.
