Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/11/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]One of the staples of Masai diet is Cow's Blood, mixed with milk - they never kill cattle, which is the determinant of their wealth, being a tribe of cattle herders. In fact, it is surmised that the whole Mara/Serengeti landscape has been fashioned over the centuries by cattle grazing, the trees giving way to grasslands to support the Masai and similar closely related pastoral tribes. If they need meat, they slaughter goats/sheep instead. Here the cow is being prepared for bloodletting with a torniquet around the neck: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/People/20110919_1764Mara.jpg.html The incision is made on the neck artery with a bow and arrow. Here a warrior takes aim: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/People/20110919_1765Mara.jpg.html He lets fly and the arrow successfully makes a nick. It took two or three tries to succeed: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/People/20110919_1769Mara.jpg.html The spurting blood is collected in a gourd, always by a woman: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/People/20110919_1777Mara.jpg.html The milk is then added to the gourd, and the mixture is churned till the blood coagulates, and then it is ready for drinking. Comments and Criticism, as ever, welcome. Cheers Jayanand