Preparing food for a funeral, or taking it to a family in mourning, is just as ancient a custom as funeral feasts. Although some people take solace in cooking, most grieving families can't fathom a life without their loved ones, much less what to put on the table for dinner. In Ethiopia, edirs -- communal funeral societies -- are as common as neighborhood watch groups.
The fish's tender pink and red meat is prized for sushi and sashimi. The best slices of fatty bluefin â called o-toro â can sell for 2,000 yen (Â£14) per piece at upmarket Tokyo sushi bars. But with a single mouthful-sized piece of sashimi weighing around 1oz, the record breaking tuna is worth around Â£139 per bite.
In December 2009 the World Wildlife Fund put the bluefin tuna on its â10 for 2010â list of threatened species, alongside the giant panda, tigers and leatherback turtles. Though environmental groups are advocating for protected status, the bluefin continues to command as much as $177,000 a fish.