Vintage Masai water bottle canteen gourd beaded milk blood honey kibuyu Kenya

Description

Vintage Masai water bottle canteen gourd beaded milk blood honey kibuyu Kenya. Condition is "Vintage Pre-owned".
BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN GOURD STORAGE BOTTLE / CANTEEN
MASAI PEOPLE, KENYA
DIMENSIONS
About 12" x 4"
DESCRIPTION
Wonderful kibuyu (Swahili for "gourd").  Leather collar and carrying strap, decorated with lines of beadwork.  Nipple-like cap.  Probably early to mid 20th century.
This kibuyu, Swahili for gourd, is used to collect milk and blood.  The bottles are often cultivated and gathered by the Kamba people, who barter and trade with the Masai.  They were treasured, mended when broken, and used for years. The interior would be sterilized by burning. Maasai blood/milk jugs are made from calabashes or gourds which are picked from vines. The Maasai clean the insides of the gourds as well as decorate them with leather and beads. Milk, blood, water, honey and cornmeal are stored inside the gourds.  Traditionally, the Maasai rely on meat, milk and blood from cattle for protein and caloric needs. The Maasai drank milk from the cow or goat every day and when they didn't have enough milk, they mixed cow's blood with the milk.  People now drink blood only on special occasions including at a person’s circumcision or after a woman has given birth. The sick are also given blood. The Maasai believe blood is very rich in protein and is good for the immune system. In order to get the blood, men shoot an arrow in the jugular vein in the cow's neck. The blood spills in a gourd. The bleeding is stopped by applying a wad of dung and mud to the arrow hole. The use of blood in the traditional diet is waning due to the reduction of livestock numbers.
CONDITION
Overall excellent.  Great old surface.  No condition issues noted.  Great old surface.  Leather slightly stiff in places, but mostly still supple.  A FINE AND FASCINATING AFRICAN CULTURAL ARTIFACT.