Less is Moa…

“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” - Matina Navratilova

The “great Apia moa shortage” of early 2015 was something that may be difficult to understand to an outsider (or to an outsider temporarily inside- and in fact to many insiders…)

To delve (just a little) into history- according to Samoan oral history, moa (chickens) were a part of the feathery baggage upon the settling canoes of the great Polynesian navigators who came to Samoa around 1500 BC.

According to more modern history- it’s apparent that by 1000 AD, moa had found a place in the homes, lives and umus of Samoa, which was domestically (in a loose sense of the word) unique…to moa and pua’a (pigs). The other staples of the samoan diet were either plant or wildlife like the fish and native birds…

speaking of which- I was out walking the other day…I saw two guys pull up in a ute on a bush track…they get out brandishing modern shotguns…
”Malo”…
”Malo”…
“Are you after Pe’a or Lupe?”
{threatened species of native fruitbat, or endangered native pigeon}
”Both”
…oh…

...so there was some hunting in the past- and it continues…anyway, back to the moa.
Over a millennium, the moa- became the Samoan Jungle Fowl, a recognised “native” bird- which roams the bush and village alike. With all the colour and flair of pure bred bantams, they cockstrut the streets feeding on scraps & insects- free range, and thoroughly organic in production- examples of everything the modern western chicken and egg connoisseur might aspire to consume…

But an interesting thing has happened…as the Samoan public’s taste for the moa developed along with their island state; so has the volume of consumption- to the point that chicken outsells both beef and pork and is considerably cheaper pound for pound. But the humble island moa, proud and colourful though he may be, can’t compete with the cage bred, corn stuffed, hormone laden, fat wrapped, circus-freak birds produced in the matrix-like sci-fi facilities of the good ‘ol US of A.

Put simply- cheaper, fatter chicken (anecdotally- they don't even pass FDA standards...) isimported by the container load and sold to a waiting Samoan public...already dealing with a host of economic and health issues.

There are moa in the villages, but you can buy a kilo of formerly frozen "colonels best" chicken cuts for under $3…
...or at least you could- until a peak in Christmas demand meant a shipment was missed in February 2015, and a state of emergency was declared (almost) by the chicken loving Samoan public as to what the heck were they supposed to deep fry, put in the sapasui or siau mein, or simply bbq the bejesus out of in lashings of soy, sugar and salt this Sunday… there were a considerable number of moa who went bush for a fortnight.

And don’t get me started on ordering a ham and cheese toasted sandwich or bacon and eggs - which invariably consist of Spam and something…even though I have to concentrate very hard indeed not to hit a pig every time I get in a vehicle…it's like something out of a Monty Python sketch...

"- Man:         Well, what've you got? 

- Waitress:    Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;

...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam” 

- Monty Python "Spam"