"When hunger strikes, ingenuity shines! A curious video of a roasted pig made from a banana tree trunk is causing laughter among Cubans on TikTok, especially among those already thinking about how to celebrate the upcoming New Year in the midst of rising food prices in Cuba."
The video, originally posted by Filipino user @dodong.davidddd, showcases a peculiar figure that resembles a roasted pig but is actually made from a banana trunk. With red eyes, purple ears, and sitting atop a rustic bamboo grill, the creation appears ready to become the main dish for a celebration.
The recording, which has accumulated over 2.8 million views and 36,000 shares, found a particularly receptive audience among Cubans when the user @yordan.arias3 decided to share it on their TikTok account along with a phrase full of irony: “If the situation doesn’t improve by the end of the year, this is what we have”.
The post, shared on October 21, exceeded 103,600 views and garnered nearly 3,000 shares, turning the makeshift pig into a topic of jokes about what might appear on Cuban tables next December 31.
Among the reactions, a user commented on the original video: "That isn't in Cuba, but the folks back home already have an idea for December 31."
And although the scene was filmed in the Philippines, many Cubans quickly found a connection to their own reality. Roast pork is one of the main features of New Year's Eve in Cuba, a family tradition typically accompanied by rice with black beans, yuca with sauce, and plantain chips.
However, for many families, preparing this dish has become a true luxury. In August 2026, a pound of pork was sold for between 1,400 and 1,900 Cuban pesos, prices that make it difficult to uphold one of the island's most cherished culinary traditions.
The scarcity and challenges in obtaining food have also inspired other videos on social media, such as that of a Cuban woman who showed the toughness of the bread she received at the store and that of a Cuban man who lamented the amount of food that is wasted abroad, while so many people on the island struggle to feed themselves.
The situation has also been reflected in testimonies from Cuban mothers who report the difficulties of feeding their children. Even the Chinese press has addressed the economic and food crisis that Cuba is experiencing.
As December 31 approaches, the peculiar banana suckling pig continues to provoke laughter and ironic comments among Cubans. An occurrence that, although it originated on the other side of the world, has found a very particular meaning in Cuba: to laugh at difficulties, even when it concerns something as anticipated as the traditional New Year's roasted pig.
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