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| Herd of long horned Ankole cattle trekking to grazing areas |
When planning for a safari to
dream destinations images of prominent features in such places flash in our mind;
Eiffel Tower in France, The Pyramids in Egypt, The Great Wall in China, Burj Khalifa building in United Arab Emirates,
Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Swiss Alps of Switzerland,
Statue of Liberty in New York City or St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Talk of
Africa and images of vast wild lands with lions, cheetahs, leopards chasingantelopes with tourist holding big binoculars clicking their cameras or Maasaipastoralists grazing big herds of livestock flash in our mind. True, these
attractions are really there and they are equally very beautiful but what is
also true they constitute just a minute fraction of attractions in these places.
What happens after seeing these prominent features on day one of our two weeks
holiday? Do we just sleep in the hotels sipping coffee and wine till the time
of our departure flight home? Not a very bright idea!
The Long horn Ankole also called
Ankole- Watutsi is a breed of cattle indigenous in Africa; the great lakes
region to be exact among the Banyankole- Batutsi pastoral communities. They are
distinguishable from other breeds by their long upward pointing horns; wide at
the base and narrow pointed tip. ; a prominent feature on adults of both bulls
and cows. They have a flat back that and
a hump towards end of the necks, sagging dewlaps on the napes, may be one colored
or with spots. The size of the horns depends on the age of the individual
animals, their body physical strength, genes from the parent breed; though some
adults have no horns at all which is genetic and not an abnormality.
This breed of cattle is quite
resistant to hard conditions and easily adapt to harsh weather, pest infested
areas and drought conditions living longer hours with little water. They are
herbivores feeding on grass and some plant and easily survive in times of low
forage requiring no extra attention. Their large horns act as coolants with a system
circulates cooled hot blood back into the body allowing them to persevere in
hot and humid conditions besides being a formidable tool against aggressors and
enemies. Horns are used in estimating maturity of individual members; sign of
beauty and attraction, animal identification and to intimidate potential
challengers into a fight for mating rights.
The Banyankole-Batutsi pastoralists
depended on the cattle for their livelihood. They roamed vast grassland plains
in search of fresh grazing lands, watering points and pest free lands for their
large herds of livestock. They had no permanent residences nor did they grow food
crops. They depended on cattle products; milk, smoked beef, cow ghee, cow hides
and other products from cattle and exchanged them (barter trade) for basic
items they lacked. Cattle were a currency and medium of exchange. Bride price at
marriage; a very important cultural ceremony was paid for with heads of cattle.
The number of cattle given as bride price was varied and dependent on the cultural
value of the bride.
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| Herd of long horned Ankole cattle grazing the grasslands |
In every society or family success
and achievement are celebrated in some way. Amongst the pastoral communities
fattened bulls are slaughtered, their meat feasted on in a cultural ceremony
(birth of twins, marriage, installing a family heir, prolonged rains, and
successful raid on neighbor community). In times of calamities or assumed bad
luck like sudden death of an elder, pro longed drought, epidemics or anything
unusual, bull roasting sacrifices were made to appease the ancestors; unseen
people with power to bless or curse. Elders gave cattle to their friends not
because they lacked them but as gifts to cement friendship and cerebrate an
achievement. Cattle were as well paid as a ransom for wrong doing.
Long horned Ankole cattle are a
symbol of wealth and the accompanying social status in the pastoral community.
The size of the herd (number of animals) and how they look (weight) portrays a name
in community. Malnourished and poor fed cattle meant carelessness and owners
ridiculed! You may have mansions in
urban centres, fleet of cars in your parking yard, a Doctorate in scientific
fields or a celebrity to rest of world, to a herdsman if your ancestors were
from the pastoral community you are poor until you have a big herd of cattle!
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| HE Yoweri Museveni of Uganda with HE Paul Kagame of Rwanda attending to a herd of long horned Ankole cattle. |
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