Comments on: Guga

Guga

brautigan — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:13:02 -0800

"The ile is full of wild fowls, and when the fowls has their birds ripe, men out of the parish of Ness in Lewis sail and tarry there seven or eight days and to fetch with them home their boatfull of dry wild fowls with wild fowl feathers" - Donald Monro, Archdeacon of the Isles, 1549. The men sail again, as they have done since the 15th Century, this month.

By: brautigan

brautigan — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:19:49 -0800

For those interested in furteher reading, there is an excellent book Sula available by wildlife photographer John Beatty, the first non-Nessman to travel on the hunt. In it he documents the hardships and bravery involved in the week long gathering but also the respect shown to both tradition and the birds they kill, clean and cure on this barren rock.

By: brautigan

brautigan — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:35:57 -0800

Furthermore!

By: From Bklyn

From Bklyn — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:06:45 -0800

nobody here but us chickens.

By: Iron Rat

Iron Rat — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:07:28 -0800

So strange that they still do this but I guess it is part of their diet. Now there is one more thing I shall always wonder about the taste of.

By: maryh

maryh — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:20:57 -0800

"It's absolutely revolting and greasy," said one Glaswegian last week. "The smell is disgusting and the taste somewhere between rotten leather and fishy beef," added another.

By: brautigan

brautigan — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:45:07 -0800

It's regarded as a delicacy on Lewis, although many people do find it disgusting! But when the boat comes in, day or night, there will be a long, long queue at the harbour to get a carcass or two. Many birds are also packed and sent abroad to ex-pats. Sula provided a ready source of food on an island which had little natural food supplies especially in winter but nowadays the demand remains. My Grandmother and Aunt love boiled guga with fried potatoes.