The Eye Beach, Village + Urban Living in Oaxaca January 2018 Issue 74 FREE The Chicken Issue Gift and Design “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Shop Mahatma Gandhi have a lot of Guarumbo 15 mixed feelings La Crucecita, Huatulco about chickens; 958 583 4594 interestingly, I do not have mixed feelingsI about eggs. I think an examination of how humans relate INVIERTE E IMPULSA to chickens can tell us a great deal about the ambiguousness of our morality. I know many TU NEGOCIO! people who will espound pedantically on the cruelties of cockfighting and then think nothing of picking up a rotisserie chicken for dinner. Humans Anunciate con nosotros! - we’re complex like that. [email protected] According to PETA, “Chickens are arguably the Cel.: 958 100 7339 most abused animals on the planet”. And yet to be a voice for the chicken isn’t as noble or glamorous as fighting for dolphins’ freedom or the rights of dogs to be domesticated, treated as surrogate-children and flown to other countries for a better life. Worldwide over 50 billion chickens are slaughtered every year. Most of these are industrialized, Editor: Jane Bauer fattened and killed at 42 days. A backyard chicken Copy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk can live up to 12 years. So why are chickens so Web Goddess: Erin Vig undervalued as sentient beings? Writers: Jane Bauer, Jan Chaiken, Marcia Granted, they aren’t as cuddly as puppies but they Chaiken, Julie Etra, Brooke Gazer, Ben Levine, do fit comfortably in the crook of your arm and will Leigh Morrow, Carole Reedy, Julia Schulz, Alvin rub their head on you in a very endearing way. Starkman, Deborah Van Hoewyk, Kary Vannice Intelligence is a factor often given to justify supporting rights for certain animals - the dolphin Cover Photo: Taviphoto being the poster-child for this movement. However, chickens aren’t stupid. They communicate with Photography/Art: more than 24 vocalizations, each with a different Jane Bauer, Alvin Starkman, Various Artists meaning; they also recognize each other and have a good memory. Distribution: Renee Biernacki Layout: Jane Bauer This month our writers explore chickens and the articles showcase the diversity of their interests Opinions and words are those of the authors and and views. From pro-cockfighting to the history of do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Eye. the jungle fowl, to the variety of its call, to recipes on how to use the less-appreciated bits. Wherever your We welcome submissions and input. tastes lie on the chicken spectrum, we hope you To get involved send us an email. enjoy this issue. [email protected] Wishing you the best in 2018! Visit Us Online www.TheEyeHuatulco.com Jane The Eye 3 In This Issue Celebrate Two Success Stories Together By Brooke Gazer Page 6 Why Did the Kosher Chicken Cross the Road? By Marcia Chaiken, with Jan Chaiken Page 8 Origin of Chicken: Jungle Runs Afowl in the Western Hemisphere By Julie Etra Page 10 Cock-A-Doodle-Do! By Leigh Morrow Page 11 The Hidden Cost of Cheap Chicken By Kary Vannice Page 12 Fun and Games Again in 2018— All in a Good Cause! By Deborah Van Hoewyk Page 13 Beyond the Breast Recipes Compiled by Jane Bauer Page 14 Speaking Place By Julia Schulz and Ben Levine Page 15 Cockfighting in Mexico: Preserving Tradition By Carole Reedy Page 16 Chicken Art By Deborah Van Hoewyk Page 18 What's the Big Deal About Mezcal in Oaxaca? Second in a Series By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D. Page 20 EDITORIAL PAGE 3 EVENTS CALENDAR PAGE 18 www.TheEyeHuatulco.com The Eye 4 Celebrate Two Success Stories Together By Brooke Gazer n Nuevo Amanecer is a non-profit organization enrolled only with other disabled children, they will not reach that helps children with disabilities. This their full potential and are likely to remain dependent. dedicated group receives very little government Evidence is also clear that the earlier the intervention, the more assistance and could not exist without the likely it is that children with disabilities, both mental and generous support of Huatulco's residents and physical, will become functional. vUisitors. Eighty percent of its funding comes from two exuberant beach parties, held at Playa Chahue each winter. Twenty-eight infants who were considered at risk and were This year, on January 11, Blues on the Beach will headline diagnosed with some form of intellectual or motor disability Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, along with David Rotundo. David were treated at UNA. At the age of three, the kids were retested needs no introduction to those who have attended previously; and achieved normal results for their age group. Although it is he plays a mean harmonica and brings a dynamic energy to the possible, but not certain, that other difficulties may become stage. Kenny is a world-acclaimed American blues, boogie- apparent as they enter school. Learning disabilities like, ADHD woogie, and jazz pianist. He is legendary for reintroducing the or some form of dyslexia may surface, but these are not piano as an important instrument in modern jazz. This insurmountable obstacles. However, without this intervention dynamic duo is bound to set the beach ablaze. as infants, these children were likely doomed to a life with little opportunity and to remain dependent as adults. January will be a hard act to follow - but on February 8, it is certain that Rita Chiarelli, along with her rhythm and blues The possibility that these kids can be saved and able to live a band “Sweet Loretta” will rise to the challenge. Rita is known reasonably normal life is cause to celebrate. I hope you can join across Canada as the “Goddess of the Blues”. She is said to the party with UNA on Jan 11 or February 8 and do just that. have a “voice so blue it could make the angels weep”. Her six- piece all-female band comes with a full complement of seasoned musicians: brass, strings, percussion, and Brooke Gazer operates Agua Azul la Villa, an ocean keyboard. Two additional guest artists will join these ladies on view bed and breakfast in Huatulco. stage. Cheryl Lescom has been instrumental in shaping the www.bbaguaazul.com Canadian blues scene and is no stranger to Huatulco. Sara Smith brings with her a powerful passionate voice, along with very persuasive stage presence. Together these feisty women are likely to blow the stars right out of Huatulco's night sky. The organizer, Dan Thompson, the UNA staff, and parents of disabled children all work diligently to create spectacular events. Turnout at Blues on the Beach continues to grow as word of mouth spreads about the quality of entertainment offered. This event is so well received that last year's audiences exceeded six hundred and seven hundred people consecutively. With this kind of enthusiasm, it is obvious that Huatulco residents and visitors benefit from their efforts almost as much as the kids at the institute for which the event is held. And these little tykes do benefit. Seventy percent of the children at UNA are under five years of age because the primary focus there is intervention. If children with various disabilities are reached early, their prognosis improves significantly. The goal is to integrate them into a regular school system, since research shows this will make them more likely to cope in the outside world as adults. Children who are integrated are allowed testing modifications because it is understood that they can't develop quite the same way. For example, in math class, a grade one student might be asked, “If you have five apples and you give two to your sister, how many will you have left?” The question for the integrated student is simplified, “How much is five minus two?” The calculation is the same but less reasoning is required. For students who can't function in an integrated setting, Huatulco offers something for more severely challenged children. The Centro de Atención Múltiple No. 17 is located in sector K. However, if students who might be integrated are The Eye 6 Sport Fishing, Bay Tours, Sunset Cruises, Special Occasions Dolphins, Whales, Turtles Marina Chahue, Huatulco Tel. 958 105 1671 Missy Yacht at Fortuna Charters SA de CV, Marina Chahue Cel. 958 100 7339 USA 541- 678-5574 Mexico 958-130-8540 Whatsapp or voice message 958-130-3569 Closed Mondays www.FortunaCharters.com [email protected] FB Missy Yacht at Fortuna Charters Join Us for Brunch! Sundays 9am- 3pm www.cafejuanitamexico.com Why Did the Kosher Chicken Cross the Road? By Marcia Chaiken, with Jan Chaiken h e q u e s t i o n i s b o t h t h e Part was the delight in describing the beginning of a bad joke and process to my more squeamish somewhat misleading. Kosher relatives until I was sent away from chickens cannot cross roads. the dinner table for doing so. But the When physically capable of most compelling reason was the crossingT a road, a chicken simply cannot potential of finding the eggs that had yet be kosher. Only when it has been formed inside some of the hens and examined and declared whole and in good claiming them as a special delicacy health and slaughtered by someone shared with one of my uncles. certified as a shochet can a chicken have a chance of being called kosher. If a chicken had crossed a road it might later become The part of the process I was least kosher, but if it was clipped by a car or even fond of was the plucking.