26 February 2008

Mambo Mamboleo

elder_back
Click on above image for a new set of photos

We arrived back on Friday from our 4 day sherehe (party) with our host Mamboleo, and about 200 Maasai clansmen. We had a wonderful visit in spite of burying a Land Cruiser and trailer axle-deep in mud on the way in. Through the concerted effort of a winch, lots of cut branches, and about 40 Maasai pushers, we got out of the hole and into our camp.

We learned how to properly kill a cow and a goat, how to bleed a cow with a bow and arrow, how to make fire using friction and sticks, and how to milk.

Thursday night, we were inundated with 12 solid hours of non-stop rain, which not only enlarged the mud holes, but flooded our entire camp with 3 inches of water. I slept curled up in the front seat of our Land Cruiser, slapping mosquitos, with three students piled in the back.

We woke up Friday moring unsure of whether we would actually be able to return to Iringa due to the rain. Dr. Arensen sucessfully extricated his Land Cruiser, but quickly phoned to inform me to leave the trailer behind, as the road was running with 3 feet of flowing water.

I didn't even get 20 yards out of camp before my rear axle sank into another hole. With the help of about 15 Maasai morani and palm fronds under the tires, I gunned it out and flew down the road in a controlled skid for the next quarter mile.

tzr_splashes

My apologies to the students who got couldn't get out of the way fast enough and got soaked or covered in mud. Think faster next time.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

EXCELLENT!! Sounds exciting (except for the sleeping in the wet part).

-tskd

t4stywh34t said...

Ok...this is when it's time to transition from still photos to video.

At least it's great in my mind.