The Big Feast

The rest of the week was more meeting of the community including an invite to lunch at the Manager of the Polytechnic (Dorcas) house to meet her husband and child. It turned out there were neighbours and friends invited too.. .we were around 20 in total in the end. More overwhelming warmth and generosity again.

Our last day in Kandara was the highlight with a traditional family celebration at the Kibes. This involved 40+ family members coming round and the slaughtering of a goat we had christened "Lunch"!! All this was in honour of my parents coming and with me being an adopted family member they were welcomed into the family.

"Lunch" - little did he know the significance of his name!

Dad and I were offered the privilege of slaughtering the goat but both declined (soft lads!!). I, sort of, think it is something that is so part of Kenyan culture that I should try it before I leave. So far I have not even seen it happen, always arriving as this time after the bloody bit.

 The structure of these events is very gender segregated with the boys doing the slaughtering and butchering followed by the cooking of the meat. The girls stay in the kitchen and sort out the veg, rice and chapatis. Both out of sight of each other. 

The elder (Elliot) manages the proceedings of the meat - this included making sausage and filling stomachs with various parts of the body. Nothing is wasted. So here is what I ate - boiled heart, boiled meat soaked in fresh (uncooked) blood, sausage - intestine stuffed with boiled meat and blood (black pudding like), boiled small intestine, liver, kidney, and meat.  All with the exception of the small intestine was really good. 

The meat in fresh blood was quite a challenge but once in my mouth was quite nice.

Samuel (Elliots brother) started gouging the eyes out and I thought -"oh no now they have reached my threshold!!" but these are traditionally left where the goat is slaughtered so thankfully were not eaten. The head and bones etc are then boiled to make soup.

There goes the eye!

The elders and chief guests (me and Dad) get first pickings of the meat, then by age each of the other males. Only then do the ladies get taken what is left of each element. Elliot also picks a selection out for late or surprise guests too before the ladies get theirs. Once the meat is eaten then the genders get together for the rice, veg and chapatis. Followed by dancing and singing.

A pause in the dancing to eat the feast.