This morning we went to the livestock market in Kimana. My dad wanted to purchase two cows and four goats in an effort to create a sustainable food source for the children on our campus. To do this, the livestock will be raised out in the bush by the Masai people and later sold at a higher price than we originally bought it for. The profit from that exchange will go towards feeding the children who attend school at our campus. In addition, the cattle and goats will have offspring so the cycle can continue.
Walking into the market was surreal. The smell of cow dung was thick in the air and hundreds of eyes watched our every move. It’s very unusual for a group of mzungos (white people) to enter the livestock market as they often have no purpose for being there. But our group was there to do business. We took Chief Jackson (pictured above) and his buddy, Benson, with us to help negotiate a fair price. Without them, the men selling the livestock would have wanted to charge us significantly more than the cattle were worth because of the fact that we were white. After a good deal of bargaining, we completed our purchase. The goats and cows are going to be kept out in Chief Jackson’s boma and will be raised and cared for out there.
After the livestock market, we went to the goods market. I purchased a “chukka” for the wedding ceremony we will be attending on Saturday (more to come about that later!). A chukka is a traditional cloth that the Masai men and women wear. I bought one that I thought looked authentic. Turns out I was right about it being a traditional fabric, but what I didn’t know was that it was what the old men wear… oops! Looks like I’ll be dressing like an old Masai man for the wedding on Saturday. Hopefully that means I won’t have any young Masai men offering my dad cattle in exchange for my hand in marriage like last time I was here!
I couldn’t have a complete Masai outfit without traditional jewelry! The women in town began adorning me, hoping I would buy some of their beautiful crafts. And I did, right off their necks. Now THAT is the way to buy a souvenir! | To get a good shot of the market, Jeff, our camera man, flew his drone over it. The kids in town were fascinated by it. Turns out, drones are illegal in Kenya… oops. |
In the afternoon, we drove out to a school in Risa (a small town in the bush). My dad and the other chiropractors adjusted the students. At first, the kids were very hesitant to be treated so I turned to bribery as a tactic. I told the kids that whoever was the bravest and wanted to go first would get a balloon as a prize. It worked! After that, the kids were much more relaxed about having their body checked.
Climbed on top of the bus to get an aerial shot. The kids were looking at me like I was crazy...