Pigs & Stones

three 16mm projectors (modified to run at 8fps) | 20 min | 2016

The Zabbaleen are Cairo’s garbage collectors. The Zabbaleen use donkey-pulled carts and pick-up trucks to transport the garbage they collect from the residents of Cairo. The Zabbaleen run one of the most efficient recycling systems in the world. They regularly gather about two-thirds of Cairo’s waste, recycling around 85%.

In 2009 the Mubarak government destroyed more than 300,000 pigs, and closed Egypt’s two pork slaughterhouses. The government said the idea was to contain swine flu, despite the fact that not a single case of the virus was confirmed among humans or pigs.

Lately the language of pigs has been the object of intense study. Research shows that pigs have a sophisticated and complex system of communication. Some researchers even propose that something resembling spirituality can be found within their language. They even say that some pig communities perform rituals, which are meant to establish a connection with the spiritual realm.

Voice: Maha Maamoun