Borana man attire by Joy AdamsonNational Museums of Kenya
Meet the Borana
The Borana were nomadic pastoralists who herded livestock including cattle, goats and sheep. They lived in semi-arid areas, and also practiced small scale farming on fertile lands in the higher regions around Moyale, and in the river basins in Isiolo county.
Arrow (1974)National Museums of Kenya
Traditionally men took care of the cattle and bled cows for food. This arrow (lawe) was used to shoot a cow in the neck from a distance when blood was needed for drinking.
Bleeding arrowNational Museums of Kenya
First, the neck of the cow was tied with leather rope (gardi) then an arrow was shot into the flesh using a bow, going approximately one centimeter deep. The blood was collected in an okhole and mixed with milk.
Plough hookNational Museums of Kenya
The men were also responsible for ploughing the fields. This is a plough hook (wagal), used by men to hold the plough stick and metal plough in position. It was made of iron by a blacksmith. The iron was heated in fire until it was red hot, then hammered into shape.
Warrior BowNational Museums of Kenya
These ox ribs (chiruacha) were used for cutting the grass. They were cut from the left side of the rib cage because they were considered to be sharper than the ones on right side.
Milk containerNational Museums of Kenya
These two containers were used for storing milk and meat. They were made from plant reeds and smeared with cow dung to make them air tight and waterproof.
ContainerNational Museums of Kenya
This container was used to store grains. It was made from woven sisal and smeared inside. It was placed in a holder to facilitate easy carriage.
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