Nyota Mazuri

Oh how the adventures continue. On Friday for my ecology class we had a field lecture where we got to drive out to a giant grazing field near Lake Manyara and learn how to identify grasses and use a GIS. Sounds kinda boring right? Definitely not. Even driving there was an adventure as we had to go off roading to get the site. The field we were in stretched to the edge of my vision and had all kinds of livestock grazing in it from the local Maasai tribe. Many of the young Maasai boy came and visited us and they couldn’t have been over 10 years old yet they were in charge of hundreds of cows, goats and sheep. The field was on the outskirts of a salt bed near a lake, and this is one of the more famous lakes where flamingoes are found! We got to walk their afterwards and we were right next to these wildebeest, zebra, impala and water buffalo. We even saw a huge crane right next to us that was almost as big as me. When we go to the salt beds we had to walk for 10 minutes through flamingo poop and wow – was that an experience. My hiking shoes were completely covered in it, and some of the student's shoes even got stuck and we had to pry them out. 

The edge of the horizon looked pink because of how many flamingoes were lined up in the water. When they would fly it looked like a cloud was forming. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. 

On the way home we passed right by the dead carcass of a water buffalo, and then our tank got a flat tire and we had to learn how to change it out. On the safari’s I went on last week we were not allowed out of the car – so it was very real to be walking so near these incredible animals knowing that there is nothing stopping them from hurting you. I was left in awe.

On Saturday one of my teachers who is from the Maasai tribe taught us how to throw our spears. Now, these spears are very heavy. They have what looks like a tent pole stake on one end and on the other end a machete blade. The goal is to have the spear stick in the ground after arching it through the air. It was very challenging. I ended up getting pretty good at it – my friend Nina, who is one of the guards here, thinks I could kill a lion with my throw. I think he is full of BS. I had to laugh at that.

On Sunday we had the rare opportunity to visit an Iraqw Boma. The Iraqw’s are an ancient tribe that has still persisted in Africa in modern times. He showed us how they built their houses underground in order to protect them from the wildlife and other tribes. It looked almost like a hobbit hole from Lord of the Rings! You could only tell it was a house from one side, and when you go inside it is dark and held up by wooden pillars. All 32 of us could fit inside this house. He said that even the cows would sleep inside with the family at night. He described to us how they made clothes before they had access to factories. They would take goat hides and sew them together, and one skirt could take over 2 months to make! He let me try on a wedding skirt, one which was dyed and then beaded into intricate patterns that symbolized a long marriage and many children. He also showed me how they would dance during celebrations. We got to feed the cows and one of them was licking me.

This particular tribe has been trying to come up with alternative ways for energy besides burning wood. What they found is that they could make methane gas from cow poop and urine and then they would let it heat and compress with water underground and the gas would form! This was completely fascinating to me.  

Unfortunately I have been fairly sick lately. I have had a cough that has persisted over two weeks and so I have to go to the clinic/ hospital soon. I will let you know how that goes – it should be quite the experience.

There is nothing like the stars here. Late at night when I am supposed to be working on my studies I will sneak away from my work and my peers and go lay under the stars and retrace the constellations over and over. Last night the moon was orange as it was rising and Jupiter was right above it. There is nothing like the stars that can help you grasp exactly how small we are here. And yet, this is the best reminder of all that even though we are so small, we have someone constantly watching us and loving us. Regardless of the fact that we are just a blink of an eye in the vast time and space of the universe, we are still loved more than "Nyota Mazuir" - the most beautiful star. Even more than the majestic glow of Jupiter on the orange horizon of the rising moon. 

Tonight we have a goat roast where they are slaughtering the goat out back by our fire pit. We can watch the process if we want to. I am scared, but I think I need to watch it. I have never watched a mammal die before, and even though I know it will be hard, I think it will give me perspective on what it means to eat meat, and what is sacrificed for that luxury. It is a struggle knowing that most meat that ends up on our tables will not die as humanely as this goat will.  

I am having very conflicting emotions. Yesterday on our day off we were given the opportunity to go swimming at a lodge with a bar and go to an “American” restaurant there. The pool was amazing and it was refreshing to have pizza, but I couldn’t help thinking to myself how sad it was that many of peers, myself, and even the teachers still crave the comforts of home. Everything is so different here that people will cling to the smallest thing that reminds them of home – even if that is just a hamburger or lounging out in a bikini.

I find that I don’t want to feel like I’m at home -  even though I miss it - and it constantly frustrates me that they provide ways to help us remember where we are from. I want to feel like I’m more in Africa and experience exactly what that means. I know it will always be obvious that I am an American here, but I don’t want to be holding on to that identity. I want to be able to let go of it and let Africa transform me, which will be impossible if I wish for the life I left behind.