He is greater than the greatest! (YH#2)

                             

                                                                                         Attribution: Yusuf Hashim

Image: Courtesy of Yusuf Hashim - A Mursi boy (here)

Modern Day Explorer #2
Modern Day Explorer #1 (here)

Yusuf Hashim says:

This is a Mursi boy, who couldn't be more than 12 years old, with an AK47 Kalashnikov on his shoulder. He demanded money when I shot this photo of him. I didn't want to argue with that globally acclaimed widow-maker, so I gave him 20 Birrs for this photo. That's equivalent to about 50 cents

.

The wealth of most African tribal people is based on cattle ownership. There's lots of inter-tribal cattle stealing going on and that AK47 is being used for guarding the family's herd. An AK47 is usually part of the bridal gifts that a young man wanting to marry, has to give to the bride's family, including probably 20 to 30 cattle.

You need to go to Africa to see how much the cow is revered in rural Africa. Wealth is measured by the number of cows one has. Among the Surmas and the Mursis and Suris, cows are seldom slaughtered for meat. Instead, they drink cow's blood mixed with meat. Cow poo is sacred and not unclean. Fresh cow poo is often smeared over the face and body for medicinal purposes. Prior to milking a cow, the hands are often washed with fresh cow urine.

The given words:

tiny perched uncut umbrella delicate

post river petals blue yearning hopeless

He’s the greatest

Unlike Muhammad Ali

He’s tiny not  muscular nor a fighter

But with an AK47 perched on his shoulders

He is greater than the greatest

Uncut diamond barely 12 years of age

He provides the umbrella

To safeguard his family’s wealth

A man’s job entrusted into delicate hands

He’ll be at his post by the river

Petals of flowers red and blue

Surrounding the country-side

Provide the color besides

the body and facial decoration

This is a man’s job

for the future man of the household

His yearning for 20 heads of cattle

is not a hopeless cause

Not at all!

For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl
Wordle #200 with the given words
and Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #240