Narave
Conservation statusEndangered
Country of originVanuatu
DistributionMalo Island, Espiritu Santo, Gaua, and nearby islands
UseReligious
Traits
  • Pig
  • Sus domesticus

The Narave or Naravé pig is a type of domestic pig native to northern Vanuatu. Navare pigs are pseudohermaphrodite (intersex) male individuals that are kept for ceremonial purposes.

Etymology

The term narave is from Bislama.

Clark (2009) reconstructs Proto-North-Central Vanuatu *raβʷe ‘hermaphrodite pig, intersex pig’. Reflexes documented in Clark (2009) include Mota rawe ‘an hermaphrodite pig, female’; Raga ravwe ‘hermaphrodite (usually of pig)’; Nokuku rawe ‘boar’ (MacDonald 1889[1]), rav ‘intersex pig’ (Clark 2005–2007 field notes); Vara Kiai rave; Tamambo ravue; Sakao e-re ‘intersex pig’; Suñwadaga na-raghwe; Araki dave; Vao na-rav ‘intersex pigs’, bò-rav ‘sow’.[2] François (2021) documents Araki rave [ɾaβe] ‘hermaphrodite pig, of great customary value’.[3]

Endocrinology

In the pigs, deficiency of the mitochondrial cytochrome P450 enzyme 17α-hydroxylase (CYP17A1) causes very low 17α-Hydroxypregnenolone levels, leading to pseudohermaphroditism.[4]

Genetics

An analysis of Narave pig mitochondrial DNA by Lum et al. (2006) found that they are descended from Southeast Asian pigs and were brought to the island by Lapita seafarers about 3,000 years ago.[5]

Distribution

Although formerly widespread across northern Vanuatu, intersex pigs are most common in Malo Island during the 21st century. Intersex pigs are kept for use in Nimangki grade-taking ceremonies at Patani village on the northwestern coast of Espiritu Santo. Some intersex pigs are kept on Gaua and northeastern Ambae islands, although they are not as prevalent compared to the early 20th century. Old carvings of intersex pigs on Vao Island can also still be found. An intersex pig was also found on Aore Island by McIntyre (1997).[6]

John R. Baker (1928) reported large numbers of intersex pigs in Espiritu Santo, where he reported to have seen "no fewer than 125 intersexes in one single day at Hog Harbour" during an event when younger and older pigs were brought together from different islands for trading. He also received reports that such pigs were present on the islands of Gaua, Vanua Lava, Mota, Ambae, Ambrym (not in large numbers), and Tongoa. He reports that intersex-producing females were also brought from the other islands to breed intersex pigs on Merelava and Merig islands.[7] Baker's dissections showed that all the animals he looked at had only male internal sexual organs. That is, despite the appearance of their external genitalia, internally there was no question that they were male pigs.

Baker (1928) reported the following names for intersex pigs in various parts of Vanuatu.

In the 21st century, Narave pigs can be found in Avunatari village, Malo Island. There is also another population in Nasulnun village, Espiritu Santo Island, whose residents have recently relocated there from Malo Island, which has an exclusively Tamambo-speaking native population.[5]

References

  1. ↑ MacDonald, D., ed. 1889. New Hebrides linguistics: introductory. Three New Hebrides languages: (Efatese, Eromangan, Santo). Melbourne: Trustees of the Melbourne Public Library.
  2. ↑ Clark, Ross (2009). Leo Tuai: A comparative lexical study of North and Central Vanuatu languages. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. doi:10.15144/PL-603. ISSN 1448-8310.
  3. ↑ François, Alexandre (2021). "An online lexicon of Araki (Santo, Vanuatu)". Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  4. ↑ Pacchioli, David (December 31, 1996). "Pigs in Paradise". Penn State University Research News. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  5. 1 2 Lum, J. Koji; McIntyre, James K.; Greger, Douglas L.; Huffman, Kirk W.; Vilar, Miguel G. (November 14, 2006). "Recent Southeast Asian domestication and Lapita dispersal of sacred male pseudohermaphroditic "tuskers" and hairless pigs of Vanuatu". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 103 (46): 17190–17195. doi:10.1073/pnas.0608220103. PMC 1859908. PMID 17088556.
  6. ↑ McIntyre, James K. (1997). "Investigations Into the Relative Abundance of Intersexual Pigs in the Republic of Vanuatu". Science in New Guinea. 22 (3). Retrieved 2023-03-07 – via Southwest Pacific Research Project.
  7. ↑ Baker, John R. (1928-09-01). "A New Type of Mammalian Intersexuality". Journal of Experimental Biology. The Company of Biologists. 6 (1): 56–64. doi:10.1242/jeb.6.1.56. ISSN 0022-0949.
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