1922 - "Back in the Day" Deaths

What does the phrase "pig meat" mean and why were Sula and Nel smiling when the men said it? It doesnt sound very flattering to me. I also didnt understand why Sula and Nel made a circle in the dirt and filled it with trash and debris...maybe that represents how they feel on the inside. Full of debris and mess and they just cover it all up and put a smile on so nobody sees it? The grass on the top of the covered hole represents the smile by the way. I thought that Chicken was going to fall down from the tree and that's how he'd die. I never expected for Sula to accidentally let go and him fly into the water and drown. Thats really sad. Why does all the old time deaths have to be extremely tragic. Like a tree falling on your head and breaking your neck or a train running over your leg leaving you with just one to hop on. Nothing like that ever happens in modern day. I call them "back in the day" deaths. They were just crazy to me. And so graphic.