Crespo said that ‘if it were not for the Matanza there would be no Cocido’ and thanked the involvement and effort of the residents of the parish of Catasós who worked hand in hand with the pedáneo Antonio Fernández and thanked the Amorín family for providing the house; the councillor for Festivals, José Cuñarro, and the councillors who also lent a hand; the Diputación de Pontevedra represented by Belén Cachafeiro and the Regional Minister of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training for the collaboration of the Xunta.
Luisa Batán was the first woman matachina of a Traditional Slaughter of the Pig, in this already quarter of a century since it has been celebrated.
There was a varied representation of traditional trades and even bread was baked in a traditional oven which was given to visitors to taste.
Lalaina, the sow daughter of the Queitano, who will take part in the parade of the 57th Feria del Cocido on Sunday 23rd February, also came to the Matanza.
Gúmer Portas and Daniel González Alén narrated live the development of the Matanza.
The "XXV Matanza Tradicional do Porco", which took place in the house of Amorín, in Antuín, in the parish of Catasós, organized by the neighbours of Catasós by the hand of the pedáneo Antonio Fernández Fernández and the City Council of Lalín, through the mayor of Festivals and area, José Cuñarro, had an outstanding participation of neighbours and visitors, despite the rain that fell from the first hour, intense, at times.
The mayor, José Crespo, thanked the involvement and availability of the residents of Catasós, the pedáneo, Antonio Fernández in the organisation of this XXV Matanza, in which more than 150 people participated. He indicated that ‘if it wasn't for the Slaughter there would be no Cocido’. He also thanked the mayor of Fiestas, José Cuñarro, for his coordination work as well as the councillors who lent a hand. He thanked the Amorín family (mother Obdulia and siblings Manuel and Oliva) for the loan of the century-old house and its outbuildings to carry it forward. He also thanked the support of the Diputación de Pontevedra, represented by the deputy Belén Cachafeiro, and the Xunta de Galicia, in the person of the Regional Minister of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training, Román Rodríguez, in events related to the 57th Feria del Cocido.
The "Matanza Tradicional" began at around 11am with the performance of musical pieces by Os Dezas de Moneixas, which encouraged some of the locals to dance, and then began the work of recreating the Slaughter and its live narration, by the journalist of Radio Lalín, Gúmer Portas, and the Official Chronicler of Lalín and Commander of the Cocido, Daniel González Alén, who brought to the visitors historiographical, ethnographic, cultural and even anecdotal aspects of this event that is so deeply rooted in our traditions.
Matachina since the age of 16
Luisa Batán, a woman with a long tradition in the trade, who has been doing the job since she was 16 years old, was the first matachina (slaughterer). The pig was a Lalaíno pig, son of a Celtic mother and a Duroc father, similar to the pigs that were slaughtered in the past in Galician houses, reared outside and fed on acorns and chestnuts, with better properties for the meat room and for making chorizo than a younger pig.
The men carted the pig to the house slab, where the scorching work was carried out. During this time, Lalaina, the daughter pig of the Queitano, who will take part in the parade of the 57th Feria del Cocido on Sunday 23 February, was also brought to Antuín (Catasós) by her owner, Lalaina.
After the pig was scorched, it was taken to the ‘curro’ (central courtyard of the farmhouses) where it was hung and weighed by the parish priest, Antonio Fernández, who, using a traditional scale, declared that it weighed 190 kilos. Afterwards, a ‘priest’ (dressed for the occasion) blessed the pig.
Afterwards, the pig was split and they also prepared the zorza, minced the meat, made chorizos, etc., a process of recreation of the Slaughter that ended after one o'clock in the afternoon.
Throughout the morning there were performances of traditional trades which added an extra attraction to the event as well as bringing together many activities and performances of traditional trades such as knitting, crochet, tapestry, shovelling, sharpening, sewing and corn shelling. Bread was baked in a traditional oven and visitors were given the opportunity to taste it.
At the end, people moved to the marquee where the tasting of typical products of the Matanza is taking place: bacon, sausages, bread, water and wine, as well as a lot of after-dinner snacks (filloas, ears, canes...), prepared by the neighbours of Catasós. In the afternoon, the Dúo Dilema performed.
The house where the Matanza took place dates back to the 18th century and was last renovated in 1850. It is therefore a century-old house, with a cobbled threshing floor, oven, alpendre equipped for daily chores, barn, barn, corridor as there were in the old days in the farmhouses, three-span granary (full of corn) and a large hall. A very suitable building for the slaughter.
In addition to the mayor, the Regional Minister of Education, the provincial deputy Belén Cachafeiro, and a large number of councillors attended the event.
