The common fowl has always been a popular dish during the Christmas season.
There was a time when common fowls, ducks, goat and dogs were part of the family, a tradition that is now lost in this country.
Today, urbanisation has taken its toll and only people in rural parts of Trinidad and Tobago keep an adequate stock of common fowls in their yards.
It is the one meat that is still referred to as “sweet’’ and can be prepared in a variety of menus.
The common fowl, however, is not native to this country.
Domestic fowls are descendants from the Red Jungle fowls found in India.
Genetic analyses have shown that every breed of domestic chicken can be traced to the Red Jungle fowl.
Scientists estimate that they were domesticated about 8,000 years ago.
Chicken is one of the first domestic animals to be mentioned in recorded history.
The Romans considered chickens sacred to Mars, their God of War.
In Christian religious art the crowing cock has symbolised the resurrection of Christ.
The cock was the emblem of the first French Republic.
During the silent hours of the night, the crowing cock continues to announce that hour to wake up. They make noise too when strangers arrive, providing some security in the process.
The common fowl has become part of this country’s folklore, and over the years calypsonians have sung many a song on them.
Lord Blakie’s “Morning Cock ah Crow’’ of the early 1960s tells how the cock is a good timekeeper.
Parvati Khan at the first Mastana Bahar finals in 1970 sang the song “Murga, Murgi’ (cock and hen) from the film “Do Kaliyan’’ and walked away with the first prize.
Long time almost every family reared common fowls. Garden shops selling poultry feed were nowhere to be seen on the horizon.
People planted corn to feed their stock of fowls, who also relished anything that was offered to eat.
Bread, roti, yam, dasheen and other ground provisions made good meals for common fowls.
During their leisure time, fowls can be seen walking around, scratching and picking at objects. When night and darkness descend, they climb on to any nearby treetop and rest for the night.
The story of the common fowl is incomplete, however, without the story of the “fowl thief’’.
Every town, village, neighbourhood and district can relate long stories and the adventures of fowl thieves.
Some thieves are clever and know how to smother the crackling fowl. Some know how to soak corn in rum and drunken the fowl.
Professional fowl thieves can climb tall trees, run fast, leap over fences, hide in rosseau patches and dive over cliffs.
Foolish fowl thieves get caught easily, end up in court and are either fined or sent to prison to waste time.
As boys in our rural home in the Lopinot Valley, catching fowls on a Sunday morning was great fun.
It was not “as easy as Sunday morning’’, however, for common fowls can run fast, turn sharp corners, leap and fly to the top of trees and hide in small dark spaces.
But we also knew that we must never abandon the hunt, because these two-winged creatures always get tired very quickly.
So when they “burned out’’ after running all over the place, it was easy to grab them.
Common fowls come in unique colours and sizes.
There is the dominica hen, frizzle fowl and clean neck among others.
Their eggs are prized for nutritional value.
Farming of common fowls has diminished over the years. Only people in rural areas continue to farm them.
In urban areas, strict laws like the Public Health Ordinance of 1950 Part 7, Section B empowers public health inspectors to prevent such “nuisances’’ under the law.
A few people take the chance and keep a fowl or two, ensuring that they do not create disturbances and become nuisances.
Today, the “white cousins’’ of the common fowl has become popular via the fast food outlets.
The premier menu in every fast food restaurant is chicken!
It is not only part of the local cuisine, it is part of the local culture.
No party, Carnival fete, wedding, beach lime or river lime is complete without “piece ah chicken’’.
