Culture Comparative Final Essay; the Ariaal, Perfect Bonding Between the Rendille and the Samburu?
The Rendille and Ariaal cultures are very interesting and complex cultures and, they have so much in common; both are camel dependent-based cultures. These camel-based cultures live in Kenya´s deserted zone, due to the camels amazing capacity to spend up to two weeks without water. This ability has led both cultures to an unbelievable phenomenon, an alliance, a partnership between the Ariaal and the Rendille. This partnership is very clever and important these days due to the constant changes the cultures are facing each day due to globalization. The Ariaal and the Rendille will both need each other to preserve there cultures, or maybe in a future, fusion creating a new culture. “The Rendille, totally dependent on their camels, suffered terrible loses in the droughts…”(Davis 146)
The Ariaal was born by a mix of two cultures, Rendille and Samburu, and indeed it is a perfect combination of both cultures. A new bond of cultures that cleverly took the best from each one, taking birth as a great new culture. Keeping mainly Samburu traditions including language and the cattle owning. But they learned hoe to capture and manage the camels thanks to the Rendille, so in this camel management classes, Ariaal learned the Rendille language and culture as well. So by speaking both languages, and by knowing and gathering the greatest pieces of the Rendille and the Samburu, the Ariaal got the best culture in the deserted Kenyan regions. “As Kenyans say, the Ariaal have the bones of Rendille, but their meat is Samburu” (Davis 146). This quote taken from Davis book, exemplifies the way Ariaal was born in a metaphor. The bones represent the camel management teaching imparted by the Rendille, and the skin represents the Samburu language and its culture. The Rendille live a quiet life with most cultures, except for the Boran, a culture that has been in war with Rendille about 20 years ago. This conflict started when Rendille men, took their herd to eat in Boran territory,
The Ariaal was born by a mix of two cultures, Rendille and Samburu, and indeed it is a perfect combination of both cultures. A new bond of cultures that cleverly took the best from each one, taking birth as a great new culture. Keeping mainly Samburu traditions including language and the cattle owning. But they learned hoe to capture and manage the camels thanks to the Rendille, so in this camel management classes, Ariaal learned the Rendille language and culture as well. So by speaking both languages, and by knowing and gathering the greatest pieces of the Rendille and the Samburu, the Ariaal got the best culture in the deserted Kenyan regions. “As Kenyans say, the Ariaal have the bones of Rendille, but their meat is Samburu” (Davis 146). This quote taken from Davis book, exemplifies the way Ariaal was born in a metaphor. The bones represent the camel management teaching imparted by the Rendille, and the skin represents the Samburu language and its culture. The Rendille live a quiet life with most cultures, except for the Boran, a culture that has been in war with Rendille about 20 years ago. This conflict started when Rendille men, took their herd to eat in Boran territory,
Bibliography: -Breuing, Peter. "Inter-Ethnic Relationships." Weblog post. Anthropology and Common Cultures. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. -"Kenya 's Ariaal Nomads Are Perfect for Anthropology / They 're Isolated and Willing to Be Observed - SFGate." Featured Articles From The SFGate. 18 Dec. 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . -Lacey, Marc. "Remote and Poked, Anthropology 's Dream Tribe - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 18 Dec. 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . "Cultural Profile of the Rendille People of Kenya." Strategy Leader Resource Kit. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. . -Davis, Wade. Light at the Edge of the World: a Journey through the Realm of Vanishing Cultures. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2007. Print.