Theirs is a traditional world. The men count their wealth in cattle, their wives in goats, and their status by the number of enemies they have murdered. They paint their bodies for war and celebration, and drink cow’s blood to revive their spirits. The women, among the most beautiful in Africa, scar their torsos in elaborate patterns for erotic effect, and in preparation for marriage, insert plates the size of frisbees into their lower lips.“This is what one dreamt about as a child”, a seasoned African traveller told me once. “An Africa untouched by our own culture.”
Stanley Stewart (to be continued)
