Kichwa ya mbuzi

It didn’t take very long for me to learn why it is that with much head shaking and funny faces made, everyone at the party was able to down their allotted soup… and then some. Not only did I not have to make dinner that night, I slept soundly through the night and awoke the next morning still satisfied from the “meal” the afternoon before! I woke up and went about my day deciding to go for a run in the afternoon. My runs have been getting shorter recently as perhaps the novelty has worn off, but I took off on my usual route with high visibility so as not to be surprised by elephants. It was the first time I ran the whole way without having to stop to catch my breath or walk a bit on the way back (uphill). I was absolutely amazed! However, when I came back to tell Max about my run, he wasn’t surprised a bit and explained that it was because of the “dawa” or medicine from the day before. Ahhh… now I get it. The “dawa” is made from the feet and head of an animal so the partakers are believed to be stronger (able to walk/run longer) and smarter (since it is basically brain soup). After I learned all this and experienced the side effect of a very satisfying run, I asked Max if I could have more soup next time he made it. Three days later, he must have scrounged up a goat head because he prepared the soup, I went for a run, and when I came back, Rose and I feasted on the miraculous soup and a goat head as a perk. It was prepared by roasting it first (mostly, I assume, to burn the hair off) and then boiling it for hours. I would be lying if I said the hair follicles didn’t bother me as I felt it go down my throat, but really goat head is quite tasty. I can’t wait to see it on a menu stateside.