In the western sphere, guinea pigs are regarded as exotic pets, a bigger version of hamsters. However, in the Andean mountain range, guinea pig is the traditional food of various South American Countries. Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, all have a history of eating guinea pig, in a plate traditionally called cuy asado. Why are guinea pigs considered a novelty pet on one side of the world, and on another continent a staple of local cuisine?
Origins of the guinea pig
Guinea pigs are native to the Andean mountain range in South America, that stretches from the top of the continent in Venezuela, all the way down to Chile and Argentina. A 2020 study on guinea pig dna revealed that humans in South America have been interacting with guinea pigs. Their docile nature allowed them to be easily domesticated and it was shown that sedentary communities with strong agriculture in the Andes ended up domesticating guinea pigs as a side effect to have a stable meat supply.
Among the most prominent civilisations that historically consumed guinea pigs is the Incan empire, which stretched through much of the Andean mountain range. The guinea pig was an important element in Incan customs and gastronomy. They served guinea pigs as part of monthly celebrations and rituals in honour of the earth goddess: Pacha Mama. guinea pig was also used in shamanic rituals by rubbing it against the afflicted person of a sickness, to help cure them, a ritual that is still practiced in isolated parts of countries like Ecuador and Peru.
After the Spanish conquest of the Americas, traders and merchants started shipping guinea pigs to mainland Europe, but instead of being consumed, they ended up being held in high esteem as exotic pets by nobles and royalty. Queen Elizabeth I is thought to have owned guinea pigs, highlighting the exclusivity of the mascot. The earliest guinea pig corpse to be dug up in archaeological sites in Europe dates to 1532, just 40 years after the conquest of the Americas.
Guinea pigs as food
The thought of eating an animal commonly associated with pets may be unappealing, but what does a guinea pig dish look like? And how healthy is consuming this meat?
One of the more common preparations for guinea pig involves deep frying the guinea pig, adding condiments and a side of baked potatoes and salad. Since guinea pigs are quite small, the actual dish itself generally serves you the whole animal, so one gets the experience of looking at your food in the eyes.
Coming from Ecuador I have indulged in this meal a few times, and tastewise, cuy asado tastes very similar to chicken, with a slightly gamey flavour. Contrary to looks the meat itself is quite tasty, and combining the meat with potatoes makes for a very tasty dish.
According to the Peruvian government, guinea pigs is a very healthy meat to consume, due to high nutritional value and very low fat levels. guinea pig meat is also known for being very effective for anemia prevention, among other sickness.
Why the transition from food to pets?
There is no official reason I could find that would actually explain why this phenomenon happened, but I think it makes sense to assume that there were a few factors to consider. The first one, is that Europe already had a wide array of different animals that already provided meat. guinea pigs tend to be very quiet, friendly and docile animals, making them ideal companions. Given their exclusive nature, that also gave them a power status, making the idea of owning a guinea pig more reasonable than consuming them.
Despite being more commonly associated with being pets, guinea pigs were first and foremost food, and continue to be consumed to this day. Although it may seem like a crazy idea, if you ever travel to South America I would recommend giving guinea pig a try, you will not be disappointed.
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