Turkanas treat their goats like luhyas treat their chicken. Daughter A has come home to visit, a goat is slaughtered. Visitor X comes from goodness knows where, a goat is slaughtered. Long lost grand daughters like me pop in for a few days, empty handed mind you, and goats are slaughtered. When people get 'thirsty for meat' like an uncle of mine puts it, a goat is slaughtered.
Every now and then, as part of male bonding, men eat a goat together. It can be men from the same age set, family, in-laws, or brand (Turkanas do not have clans - common misconception). Reasons range from plain dude central to getting to know the newest person planning to join the family. This is done either in some one's homestead, or in the bush while goats are being herded. I got to witness this at my grand mother's home in early January, it was a spectacle to behold. here it is in simple D-I-Y steps.:-)
You will need:
- To be a member of the akiriket- the semi-circle of respectable men.
- N'gakui - leaves for making the akiriket
- A sharp abarait for every man on the akiriket
- A male goat
- Firewood (already stacked ready to be lit up) Assign a kid to start the fire while you get the goat ready
- A spear
- One or two younger men than you on the akiriket - to do the roasting donkey work for you
Step one: Spear the goat. Single strike. Time required 60 seconds, 30 seconds to mark your spot and strike (usually between the first and the second left rib)and another 30 seconds for it to kick about and die. Do not volunteer for the job if you have never done it successfully before.
Step two: Lay the goat on the spare leaves in front of the akiriket and remove the offals. Put the the intestines aside. Slice the bile, and if you are having your roast meat fiesta in the bush, hang it on a branch of a tree near you. If the fiesta is happening in someone's homestead, then give it to the woman of the house to hang in her kitchen wall. (Time requiered 60 seconds)
Step three: Lay the goat on top of the bonfire, and keep turning it after a half a minute or so. You want all the fur burnt and out of the way. Meanwhile have one of your watu wa mikono divide the intestines equally among every male on the akiriket to clean (by this I mean remove goat poop). This is poured in front of the akiriket. Poop from the rumen is poured on the right side of the goat pen's entrance if your fiesta is happening in a home stead. Give your piece of intestines to whoever is roasting the goat to roast it for you (Time required 9 minutes).
Step four: Remove the goat from the fire, cut into equal pieces for everyone on the akiriket, start with your right which is where the oldest person is sitting. If your fiesta is happening in the bush, remember to send the right hind to the lady of the homestead where the goat came from. (4 minutes)
* Treat the intestines like you would a dinner dance.
(Women do this too, especially during marriage ceremonies, but its like cooking my favourite dish and inviting my girlfriends over).
