Keriama

Wow. So much has happened in the past week in Alale. I learned so much in Alale. About the Pokot, about myself, and about my friends. And I have only begun to process my experiences there, I'm sure. It is impossible to cover everything in one blog post, but here are some of the highlights...

Upon arriving in Alale, we went to Michael's mother's homestead to rest for the remainder of the evening after a long day of traveling. My fellow travelers were Michael (of course), Peter (a.k.a. Losenguria), and Lomaler. As the evening unfolded, I was astounded to discover some things I had not known about the very people with whom I have been spending a good portion of 2 months. 

I have neglected to ask probing personal questions of people like Nelly, Peter, and Lomaler because I did not want them to feel as if they were being inspected and studied like the people they observe me interview (even though I am, in fact, studying them). Unlike the various people I have interviewed, I had to see these 3 every day. 

So, I was shocked to learn that Lomaler is Michael's younger brother. About a decade or more separates them. Michael never introduced him to me as family, and because Lomaler runs a number of errands for Michael's family and sleeps in Michael's Toyota pickup, I assumed Michael had simply extended a helping hand to a fellow Pokot in need. I knew Michael and Lomaler come from the same Snake clan, but that was as close to family as I thought they got.

This goes back to my observation about how people in Pokot (if not all of Kenya) refer to each other. Each person usually has an English-sounding name, an African-sounding name, and a nickname. I think what I've realized is because each person has so many names, and because a person may not know which name you know for another person, then they refer to that person as "that guy" instead of using a name. In the case of clans, a person can be referred to as a brother or sister if they are literally a blood relative, or if they belong to the same clan. Lucy (in the Shackled post), for instance, is not Michael's blood sister after all, but is in the same clan as Michael.

Kolemoi, goat herdsboy

I met Michael's blood sister's son, Kolemoi, while in Alale. Because clans are patrilineal (anthropological term meaning descent or kinship is determined by the father), Kolemoi belongs to a different clan than Michael and his sister. Michael introduced Kolemoi to me as his sister's son. And I said, "ok, so he's your nephew!" Michael's nonchalant response was, "yeah, but he's from a different clan, though." I don't want to paint the picture that Michael is uncaring towards his nephew. Michael has a HUGE heart...for everyone inside and outside his clan, for everyone inside and outside Pokot. But this exchange so beautifully clarified for me what are considered the inner circles of family for Pokot. 

To help narrate some of the rest of my journey in Alale, here are some photos:

Making a driveway to Michael's mother's homestead.

Michael's brothers holding down a goat while I slaughter it by slitting its throat.

Michael with his brothers: Losil and Lomaler. This is their first photo together.

In the rural areas, I mentioned before that women wear
many bracelets to indicate they are married. At this point
in the trip, I only had 2, so this guy did not know I am
married and offered Michael 50 cows for my dowry.

Getting more marriage bracelets. The woman who fashioned and hammered

on the additional bracelets has a ton of them on her own arm!

At Kaliman's homestead (a friend of Michael's). He asked if I had ever milked
a camel. I hadn't. So, I became the evening's entertainment by milking a camel.
Camel milk, by the way, is very very sweet.

Helping a newborn camel stand up (also at Kaliman's).

Fueling up the pickup at Michael's mother's homestead. There isn't a gas station

in Alale, so we had to bring a jerrican of fuel with us.

At a government-hosted peace meeting between Turkana and Pokot.

At the peace meeting, I learned that the Turkana had recently

raided a nearby Pokot community for their cattle, and slaughtered

a young Pokot herdsboy. On the way back from the peace

meeting, we coincidentally stumbled upon the mother of the

herdsboy who was brutally murdered. That was a rough day.

There's gold in them hills! Mountain climbing with gold diggers.

Panning for gold. This is an alternative to raising cattle and cattle rustling.
On average, 1 day's work earns a person $2.

Jumping. A social event. Like running, people were surprised I knew how to jump...

Chilaxin at Kaliman's. I am teaching Losenguria and Lomaler how to play the

card game "Speed." I don't think either of them had ever played cards before.
I also climbed a tree and shot a bow and arrow. I surprised everyone (including
myself) when I was told to aim for a tree 30 yards away that was no more than
2 inches in diameter and hit it square center. I haven't shot a bow and arrow in
15 years (not including the Wii sports version).

Plowing a field. Growing crops is another alternative to the nomadic tradition

of cattle raising and rustling.

Me with Chenenaut, Losil's daughter. This little girl is completely
satisfied sitting quietly on your lap and ever so delicately
examining your jewelry.

Goat sacrifice (different from slaughter). This is offered to God by Pokot elders
and then eaten by all men present (leftovers sent home for women and children).

I get to eat with the men. I am convinced this is the best way to cook goat.

BBQed whole, then cut up and BBQed some more. Smoky tasty! Unfortunately,

I ate some undercooked meat and got really sick the rest of the day.

Michael and Kaliman collecting leaves for the goat sacrifice.

Michael found a baby goat that had gone missing for nearly 

3 days. I was really surprised, because you can hear hyenas
at night.

Some of you were wondering how I spent my birthday. This was it. It was only

just the day before that I got really sick from eating the undercooked goat. So,

my body was super exhausted the next day. By the way, just a week before, I

thought it was really awkward to lie down and take a nap in front of everyone.

I obviously got over it.

My Alale family (minus Michael, taking the picture; and Kaliman, absent).

Left to Right: Michael's mom, Longoria (a friend), Losenguria (Peter), Losil's

wife, Michael's sister, Lomaler, Me, Chenenaut, Losil, Kolemoi, Kabet, and the

last 2 kids I never learned their names.

At this point, I am very sad to think I will be leaving in exactly 1 week from today. I have made so many friends here that it will be hard to say goodbye. I will be coming back to Pokot. It is only a matter of when.

Keriama. Let's meet again.