NO CASH HERE, ONLY COW

Written by Lweendo Kalonga

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DID YOU KNOW?

There are a few places in the world where the form of currency is not money. One such group of people are the Maasai people, a Nilotic group that inhabit areas of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are thought to have originated in the lower Nile valley and migrated to the south around the 15th century. Where people of a majority of the world consider the possession of expensive property and having a high net worth as wealth, the Maasai objectively acquire wealth through the accumulation of large herds of cattle. Their unique economy constitutes the selling and bartering of them for various goods and services. This can look like the Ing’ombe Ilede of Zambia that mainly occurred between the 7th and 11th centuries. Just like the culture in India, the Maasai regard cattle as sacred with both men and women contributing to taking care of them. This is because they believe that the creator god Enkai sent the cattle sliding down a rope from the heavens into their safekeeping. Other than this, they are heavily dependent on more than just food products from cattle, clothing, and sheltering. They have been accustomed to this unique way of living by creating different cooking utensils and drinking vessels as well. The Maasai go as far as using cattle in diplomatic relations with other clans and also use them as a form of bride price where the groom takes several cattle to the bride’s family.

TheCustodiansMag Dictionary

Androgynous. adj -having the physical characteristics of both sexes.

Enkai. noun- In Maasai Mythology, Enkai is the androgynous Supreme Creator, possessing both masculine and feminine principles.

Ing'ombe Ilede- Ing'ombe Ilede is an archaeological site located on a hill near the confluence of the Zambezi and Lusitu rivers, near the town of Siavonga, in Zambia.

Nilotic. adj- 1. Relating to the River Nile or to the Nile region of Africa.

2. Denoting or belonging to a family of languages spoken in Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. The western group includes Luo and Dinka; the eastern group includes Maasai and Turkana.