Reproduced from the British KuneKune Pig Society
KuneKunes are a small pig, with the original imports going back to New Zealand. Their name is pronounced Cooney Cooney, and means fat and round in Maori. They did not originate in New Zealand, as there are no indigenous land animals there. There are many theories on how they got there, the Maoris may have taken them there, as the pig was very important to the Polynesians, and there are still pigs with tassels in the South Pacific Islands. Early whalers and sealers may have taken them, to be released to breed, to be culled for food on their next voyage, or they could well have been taken by the people who settled to farm in the country. All farm stock was imported. They may be a mixture of pigs from many sources, but whatever their origins, they have evolved into a charming little pig.
In New Zealand Kunes came very close to extinction in the 1970s. They were not used much for meat anymore by the Maoris, and were virtually unknown to the white population. It was then that two wildlife park owners, Michael Willis and John Simster heard about the pig, and set out across New Zealand to buy every Kune they could find for sale, this only amounted to eighteen pigs, and from this original stock, with later additions of more animals, the studbook was formed. The population in New Zealand is now in a healthy state, and it is proving in great demand as a smallholders pig.
KuneKunes arrived in Britain in 1992. Zoe Lindop and Andrew Calveley had worked in New Zealand for several years and were charmed by KuneKune. After meeting Michael Willis, and learning how endangered these little pigs were they decided to import a small group to breed in Britain. As the Kunes only existed in New Zealand it was important to have a population in another country, in case of disease in their home. Michael bred for them a wide range of Kunes, because it was important to have as wide a variation of genetic stock brought into the country as possible. If they had only brought one type we would not be preserving a true representation of the breed, and therefore would be of no help to the breed.
These pigs look like a Walt Disney cartoon version of a pig. They are between twenty four and thirty inches high, and one hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty pounds in weight. They are completely covered in hair which can be anything between short and straight, and long and curly. They come in a range of cream, ginger, brown, black and spotted. They have a medium to short snout, and either prick or flopped ears. They have short legs and a short round body. The most unusual feature of most KuneKune pigs is a pair of tassels, called piri piri, under their chin like a goat. This is not unique to the Kunes but it is unusual. Temperament wise, they are delightful, being placid and very friendly. They thrive on human company.
The History of the KuneKune in America:
Prior to 1995, there were no KuneKune Pigs in America.
In mid 1995, Katie Rigby of Abilene, Kansas imported her first group of
pigs which included KuneKunes and Captain Cookers directly from New
Zealand with the assistance of members of the New Zealand Kunekune
(Breeders') Association and approval by the Elders of the Maori people.
On a second trip to New Zealand, she was accompanied by Gwin (Brooks)
Stam of Jefferson, Oregon who partnered with her in getting additional
KuneKunes into this country. Ms. Rigby retained most of the imported
pigs, but some would travel to Oregon to become the "West Coast Herd".
Later, Mrs. Stam partnered with Pam Bell of Northern California and
together they established a small breeding operation that mostly
remained within the Pacific Northwest.
Rigby, being extremely protective of the breed, was very selective about
who would get breeding animals and in more recent years, sold only
spayed and neutered pigs to those she considered "qualified". Ms. Rigby
was the founder of the now defunct "Kunekune Registry of the Americas"
and "OINK" corporation. In 2007, her herd consisting of purebred
Kunekunes, Captain Cookers, Pot-bellied Pigs, and other breeds was
sorted into three distinct groups. Breeding Kunekunes were designated
to go to two separate locations. The remaining purebred kunes went to
"Kunekune Preserve USA" owned and operated by Cyndi Berry of Mt.
Pleasant, North Carolina where the breeding program thoughtfully
considers the conservation and improvement of the breed.
In 2005, Jim and Lori Enright of USA KuneKunes imported the first
kunekune pigs from Great Britain. While on a pig buying trip to England
with several swine experts from two universities and a swine genetics
group, Lori Enright was able to acquire foundation breeding stock for
the Enright's future breeding program. The Enrights have been
instrumental in promoting the breed in this country and are the first
breeders to freely sell breeding stock to others. Mr. and Mrs. Enright
are the co-founders of the official breed registry in the United States,
American KuneKune Breeders' Association established in 2006.
