CREOLE PIG, THE: HAITI'S GREAT LOSS

The Creole pig, indigenous to Haiti, was highly valued for many years before it was forcibly removed from the nation's ecosystem. A hardy, boisterous breed, it served as a commodity to peasant farmers who slaughtered it for food or sold it to support their families. It also held symbolic value for Haitians as it was involved in a Vodou ceremony that played a significant role in the Haitian slave uprising, revolution, and the abolition of slavery. But, in the 1980s, a swine flu crossed the Haitian-Dominican border and started to affect the breed. The flu also threatened livestock in the United States. As a preemptive measure, the USAID, in conjunction with the Haitian government, proceeded to exterminate all Creole pigs from the island, leading to a crushing economic blow to an already impoverished country. THE CREOLE PIG: HAITI'S GREAT LOSS explores Haiti's rapid and devastating economic decline. Interviewees include farmers, anthropologists, educators, and political officials, who help analyze Haiti's politics and history to make better sense of the Creole pig extermination operation.