A Tall Tale

This past Thursday word spread like wild fire that a man in the next village over, 4 miles away, was killed by an elephant. Elephants are known as very peaceful animals their ginormous size granting them a proportionately sized heart. I find death confusing in the village, as it is sometimes not treated as a big deal. However, when I was just as shocked as everyone else, I knew it was a big deal.

Elephants are known to bury their victims. People say they feel remorse for their actions, even if it was in self defense. They use their feet and trunk to dig a hole, then cover the body with leaves and branches. This body was found just like that, with elephant foot prints all around it. I'm told that this violent act is viewed as unforgivable from the rest of the elephant's herd, kicking him/her out forever.

Traditional Mbukushu beliefs say that when someone is attacked by an elephant, it is because they were wrongfully accusing someone of something. Or it could mean that this person's wife is pregnant (if this seems confusing...I'm right there with ya.)

Elephants seem to be very ritualistic beings. When one of their herd members dies (by natural causes or by man), each member takes turns touching the trunk of the deceased. Last year there was a baby elephant killed by a 18-wheeler truck on the tar road about 25 miles away from Kayanga. With a twist of fate the driver lived, while the ellie laid dead in the middle of the road. People heard the commotion and came out with their axes and bags to get a chunk of the rare and delicious meat. Even with it being a baby elephant, there was plenty of meat to go around. The meat was divided so fast that the baby elephant's mother and herd did not have time to come out to touch trunks and get closure. People said that consequently, the mother went on a rampage across the road, refusing to be scared away. I normally don’t believe everything I hear here, people have nothing but time on their hands to retell tall tales, but I believe this one.

My friend, Selma, got some of that meat during that event and invited me over. While we sat around the open fire and spicing the meat she dramatically and enthusiastically re-told the story of how she strategically got some of the meat without an ax on her (I believe it was her charming convincing skills). It ended up being my 24^th birthday weekend meal. And it was the best meat I have ever had.