I stood transfixed as the neck of the goat was severed by one quick swipe of the machete. Blood began to gurgle and gush freely from the fatal gash and a Maasai tribesman grabbed a small metal bowl to collect it in. This was the first time I’d seen a defenceless animal slaughtered intentionally and it affected me more than I’d expected it to.
I was staying with the family of a Maasai friend, Yusufu, who worked at my hostel in Moshi, Tanzania, where I was volunteering. The village was located in the middle of nowhere, accessible only via a network of dirt tracks that crisscrossed their way through rough terrain and river beds. Our van had packed in a few miles from its destination and we’d lugged our tents and sleeping bags the remaining distance through a sea of cornfields.
The village elder agreed to sacrifice a goat to give me insight into the tribe’s culture. This was a great honour, since livestock are not only the main source of food for these people, but a measure of a man’s wealth and a significant bargaining tool.
Within minutes of my arrival, a suitable animal had been selected and the tribesmen dragged it by its horns across the village clearing to a small hut that had been built for the sole purpose of slaughtering livestock. I knew it wouldn’t be easy viewing, but morbid fascination got the better of me.
They began by suffocating it, but it struggled and squealed in panic so they put it out of its misery by severing its jugular. The goat’s life ebbed away quickly, but its glazed eyes continued to portray pure terror. The sound of its final desperate bleating resonated in my mind.
The last of the blood was drained into the bowl and the frothy scarlet mixture was carried away to be drunk later. The Maasai believe it’s a delicacy and swig it down with equal gusto to an Irish man with a pint of Guinness on St Paddy’s day. They mix it with milk to form a ritual drink, which is most commonly used for celebrations or to nourish the sick. When no goat has been sacrificed, they will sometimes tap the jugular veins of live ones. Never mind the huge array of zoonotic diseases that are endemic in Tanzania, they’ll take a fresh cup of caprine juice any day over a hot mug of cocoa.
The man with the machete moved onto skinning the goat. This was the point at which I was expected to leave them to it, but I was intrigued by the procedure. In my job as a veterinary magazine editor, I’ve been to debates on ethical methods of slaughter and conference talks about the hygienic preparation of meat and it fascinated me to see how adept these men were when equipped with nothing but the most basic resources.
I was so engrossed in watching the blade slice neatly through the skin around the goat’s testicles that I’d failed to realise that the rest of the tribe had gathered to begin a demonstration of their traditional jumping dance. As you can hear from this disturbingly graphic video (you have been warned!), Yusufu eventually had to come and drag me away!
After the sun set and the dancing ceased, I was led to another small mud hut for dinner. Bare except for a few plastic chairs and lacking a door, it didn’t make for the most comfortable dining experience – a chicken kept wandering in and out, and villagers continued to peer in to see who this strange foreigner was – but it was clear that they had taken me to the best room in the village and were going out of their way to accommodate me. The highlight of the evening was being presented with a bowl of goat chunks for dinner. Our old friend tasted great. He was a bit on the chewy side, but I’ve been brought up believing that good food shouldn’t go to waste, and having seen the effort involved in putting this meal together, I couldn’t leave a morsel.
Dinner!
There’s nothing quite like food prep in the middle of nowhere.
So as a former veterinary magazine editor, what did you think of the slaughtering process?
Joe the Explorer recently posted..Drinks at Flight BA2012 (British Airway’s Shoreditch Pop-up)
Indeed. Puts Michelin 5* to shame really! Hmmmm, I suppose in a professional scientific editor sense, it was an inhumane way of killing the goat. They should be stunned before they’re slaughtered, according to practice in the UK. But you can’t help thinking that double standards are ok in the middle of nowhere where the Maasai lead a very basic lifestyle. On a personal level, I have no problem with the methods they used…
Arianwen Morris recently posted..Maasai goat sacrifice
Hi Arianwen,
I quote from your report: “They began by suffocating it, but it struggled and squealed in panic so they put it out of its misery by severing its jugular. The goat’s life ebbed away quickly, but its glazed eyes continued to portray pure terror. The sound of its final desperate bleating resonated in my mind.”
But you say that on a personal level, you have no problem with the methods they used? I find that a bit hard to understand. I suppose that, if the same thing were to happen to a child, you would have a problem with it. But now you say: “it’s only a goat.” So that is the mechanism: you cut yourself off from your empathy because you tell yourself that this kind of practice is normal with non-human animals. But why would it be?
I have two girls of 7 and 8 years old. When they were 2 and 3, I often had to think of lambs – the girls were equally playful, beautiful, vulnerable, innocent and deserving of my protection as lambs. Still, in our society people cut the throat of lambs (mostly without stunning, because most lambs are killed according to halal methods), but not of my girls. To me it’s simple: I don’t eat my children, so why would I eat lamb or goat. And I am still shocked by the horrific killing of animals, whether it is by severing the jugular vein or by suffocating. Imagine what goes through a goat’s mind when it is being suffocated. For me it’s not just a goat. It’s an individual that can experience the same feelings of despair like you or myself or my children, and that wants to live just like us. I know very well that the Masai treat their animals well, that the animals are their livelihood etc.; that’s a different story. I just feel sad and rebellious when I see an animal killed by a human being.
Thanks for your comment Dirk. Wow, it was so long ago that I wrote that I’m not sure what I meant myself! I think what I was trying to say was that I don’t necessarily feel as though the Maasai should change their customs. Of course I find it very difficult to imagine any animal being killed full stop, and I would much prefer that if it has to happen that it happens in the most humane way possible. Having said that, there are ongoing debates about whether animals destined to become Halal or Kosher meat should be killed using the methods those religions dictate should be used, and I am sympathetic towards their beliefs. From this one experience, the Maasai killed the goat pretty quickly and clearly were sensitive to its demonstration of distress, which I think is why I said I had no problem with it. It would be a different matter if they appeared to be prolonging its misery for no reason. I suppose to some extent I am guilty of cutting myself off from empathy when a situation involves non-human animals. I think this is a natural response considering many of us eat meat yet I would hope none of us would consider cannibalism. In order to be carnivorous, we have to accept that animals will need to be killed. I’m assuming you’re a vegetarian and I totally respect your views. I hope I didn’t cause offense by my offhanded comment above. I studied zoology because I care about and am fascinated by animals and I fully support any acts that reduce any amount of pain or suffering caused to them.
Sleeping bags can be quite convenient if you go out on a camping trip. :
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A very good point well made :). I usually hire one, but they’re often rubbish. If you can fit a decent one in your backpack, I reckon they’re a really good idea. I’ve had so many cold bus journeys too…
Wow! That must have been something to witness. The barbeque looks well cooked. I agree with Joe about the thrill of food prepping with a kitchen. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Joseph Salazar recently posted..Amerigo Vespucci
It really was! I can imagine a lot of people turn vegetarian after seeing it, but I love burgers too much! The goat was very chewy though. The Maasai could learn a thing or two from the Argentinians about barbecuing! :)