Mato Oput

(I'm feeling all better now)

Yesterday was really interesting. I have this 3 page document explaining mato oput that i'll have to type up sometime. I have a ton of pictures. I'm going to put them in a separate album though. I wouldn't recomment looking if you have a week stomach. Or maybe I'll just put the really graphic ones in a separate album. (for those of you who really want to see a sheep and goat being chopped in half and blood and guts spilling out of them)
Here's a brief run through of what happens.
First, the chief addresses everyone and explains the ceremony. Then 2 elders get a stick and a couple guys from each of the clans get on each side and hit the stick in a mock fight. Then, a sheep and goat are brought and laid with a head facing each side. They're then cut in half and sliced open. A little of their blood is mixed with root from an oput plant and some local brew. Guys from each side kneed on either side of the bowl and stick their heads in it to sip. (It tastes really bad so that they tell their clan never to kill again b/c it's so bad.) Then the meat is cooked, and they line up again and each take a couple bites from the head. Once that is done, they can have contact with each other once again, and everyone eats together.
In this case, 2 women had been fighting, and the unborn baby of one had been killed. It's still men from the tribe who go through the cleansing ceremony. There were a couple of us mazunga observing, and the one guy said there are some benefits of being a female in Acholi culture. haha.

Anyways, I hope you all had a nice 4th of July. I'm not sure when I'll put the pictures up. I hate slow computers! I just don't feel like being that patient today.