Killing time at Aarhus Food Festival
The youth of Aarhus get a taste of how meat is produced by slaughter at the festival weeks food market.
By Alex Luka Ladime
Even though it was pouring rain at the opening day at the food festival friday afternoon the weather gods didn’t scare the food lovers away. There are numerous culinary workshops and presentations on the nordic cuisine focused on sustainability, cooking, ecology and old crafts. An event called “Vildt Blodigt” was organized for youths to create awareness for where meat comes from before it lands on the dining table.
A ranger, Jacob Fredsted, brought with him a mouflon, a species of sheep, which he in steps skinned and gutted in front of a growing crowd.
“There are really no kids that know where our meat comes from. Often I get the remark — Jacob you are an animal abuser, why did you shoot it? You could just go to the supermarket and buy some meat — that is what I am up against,” says ranger Jacob.
He started by asking the crowd if they could tell what sex the critter is. Nobody answered. Then he laid the dead animal on a manger and beginning with the penis, step by step the animal was skinned separating the fur and head from the carcas to the amazement of especially the youngest in the group. He then took one of the fist sized testicles out of the furry scrotum and asked if they wanted to try feel the texture of it. Scrotum in danish is translated to “pung” which actually means wallet, so he showed how in medieval times they were used for keeping your valuables safe in the space left behind after removing the life-giving balls out of their warm pouch.
“In older the older days people respected our animals. Meat was expensive and everything was used. You had porridge days, fish days, soup days but now they don’t appreciate the luxury of it”, says ranger Jacob.
Then the animal was hung and a quick precise cut in the abdomen let the fully loaded intestines jump out of the carcas. A smell of heavy fermentation quickly filled the air in the closest vicinity. Several of the ones closest by took their shirts to their noses. Squemish. But they quickly acclimatised to the new odor.
Pernille a physiotherapist and her boyfriend, both 27, were also in the crowd. They both think that young people have a too distanced relationship to meat especially in cities.
“I think it is so cool that kids and grownups get the opportunity to see a real life butchering. Because if you are not aware then it will be hard for you to see the idea with sustainability, ecology and animal welfare,” says Pernille.
Her boyfriend Emil, a teacher student, was a bit more confirmed but was a bit more concrete.
“It is important with a growing public awareness about our fragile ecosystem because we want to let our kids and grandkids inherit a planet they can live on that is not totally fucked,” said Emil.
After all the steps, the carcas was hanging dripping the last bodily fluids.
“Nowadays the meat production has become pure industry, we don’t see the animal, we don’t talk about the animal and definitely not butchering. Everything is hidden. If we do not show that meat comes from living creatures, then we surely can’t take care of them,” the ranger concludes.
