Kenya: Goat Roast

Yesterday, we roasted a goat. Apparently it's a bit of a tradition here. This entry probably shouldn't be read by vegetarians, or anyone who does not like to know where their food comes from... or anyone trying to eat and read an interesting blog. That's your warning.

Historically, the Maasai, which is the ethnic group surrounding our Kilimanjaro Bush Camp home, were pastoralists, making their living by herding animals and either killing the animal for food when they needed to, or selling or trading it for goods they did not have. The government and other outside influences have been trying to privatize the land, parcel it up, and force these people into agriculture. It seems to be working - their houses are more permanent structures and they now grow many vegetables in the region. This is causing a whole bunch of new health issues in the population associated with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, but that's a whole different blog entry.

Back to the pastoral lifestyle - many of them are trying to maintain this, including some of our eskaris (Swahili for "insanely good security guard"). Some of them are Maasai and still herd animals as well as protect us from the various wildlife making quite the ruckus outside right now. Today, one of them graciously gave one of his goats to the camp for this festivity.

Before I sound too celebratory about this, I will fully admit that watching the goat happily chomp on some grass on the march in was sad, and I was queasy watching the eskaris actually kill it. BUT as a former vegetarian and informed meat-eater, I strongly believe that we all should know where our meat comes from. The majority of the world eats it, but is so far removed from the actual process of taking the life of an animal that we often forget how our beautifully packaged, perfect cuts of meat get to the supermarket.

It is deeply humbling to directly witness the loss of life for your benefit. As upsetting as watching the slaughter was, I find it more upsetting to know that the goats on most farms in the United States would not have been allowed to eat that grass, or whatever it wanted to eat, and run free in the way this goat did during its life. A goat raised in the US also would not have been used as completely as this animal was - everything not consumed was saved for the family of the eskari, who already had plans for all of the fur, organs, hooves, and so forth.

It was a total blast from the past, to be part of the slaughter and then eat it two hours later. While I was a little grossed out, I'm here for new experiences (as well as helping people get more drinking water).

...So, for the record: goat is quite chewy.