The pintada común, pintada gris or helmeted guinea fowl originates from Central Africa and is the most widespread guinea fowl in Cuba, with three varieties: white, gray and blue, as well as the Creole guinea fowl, and was introduced by African slaves brought by the Spanish in the 19th century, who domesticated it on the island.
It has gray and black plumage with small white speckles. It measures up to 50 cm in length. The beak is moderately long, strong and robust and has a kind of ‘wax’ at its base, on top of which the nostrils open; the head, which is unfeathered, is predominantly white or blue, with bright crimson wattles or fleshy excrescences and a distinctive crest or horny protuberance on the top of the head. Males and females look the same and cannot be easily distinguished except by their behavior.
They require areas with enough free space and a coop that is well protected from the cold and the air, especially during the winter. They must not be bothered in open areas, as they are easily scared away from their coop, returning to the wild. They are omnivores with a varied diet, consisting of cereal seeds, fruit, snails, worms, insects and soil-borne insect larvae.
In rural parts of the municipality of Río Cauto, in the province of Granma, and in the municipality of Mella in the province of Santiago de Cuba, both in the east of the country, helmeted guinea fowl used to be widely reared, as well as hunted and eaten by the local population and it was used in popular and traditional dishes.
During festivities, especially carnivals, dishes made with this product used to be sold in the municipality of Bayamo in the province of Granma, in the province of Camagüey and in surrounding areas. At guateques (countryside festivals) large pans of guinea fowl fricassee would be prepared. As part of the culture and identity of the Cuban people, in the Yoruba religion, of African origin, it was offered to specific deities and at their festivals guinea fowl stews would be prepared for guests.
One famous recipe is Pintada a la Romana, which is made with guinea fowl, ginger, salt, pepper, honey and white wine.
Presenta un plumaje gris y negro adornado con pequeñas motas blancas. Mide hasta 50 cm de longitud. El pico medianamente largo, fuerte y robusto presenta en su base una especie de 'cera' sobre la que se abren las fosas nasales; la cabeza, desnuda de plumas, presenta una coloración blanca o azulada dominante, con carúnculas o excrescencias carnosas de vivo color morado y una típica cimera o protuberancia córnea en lo alto de la cabeza. Machos y hembras son aparentemente iguales y no pueden distinguirse fácilmente si no es por su comportamiento. Requieren zonas con bastante parque o zona libre y un gallinero bien protegido del frío y del aire, especialmente durante el invierno. En zonas libres no deben ser acosadas, pues se espantan fácilmente de su gallinero, retornando a la vida salvaje. Su alimentación es omnívora y variada, consiste en semillas de cereales, frutas, caracoles, lombrices, insectos, larvas de insectos del suelo.
En zonas rurales del municipio Río Cauto, en la provincia de Granma, y en el municipio Mella en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba, ambas en el Oriente del país, su cría era abundante, así como su caza y consumo por la población y existían platos populares y tradicionales.
En las festividades, sobre todo carnavales, en el municipio Bayamo de la provincia Granma, en la provincia Camagüey y sus áreas aledañas ofertaban a la venta preparaciones culinarias con este producto. En guateques (fiestas campesinas) solían preparar grandes cazuelas de fricasé de gallina de guinea.Como parte de la cultura e identidad del pueblo cubano, en la religión Yoruba, de raíces africanas, se le ofrenda a deidades específicas y en sus fiestas se elaboran guisos de gallina de guinea para los invitados.
Una receta famosa es la “Pintada a la Romana”, con guinea, jengibre, sal, pimienta, miel de abejas y vino blanco.
