Written by the instructors
Yesterday morning we had a “cow party” – people went to search for the bark from a special tree to pound with mortar and pestle into small pieces. They mixed this with salt and water, and put the mixture into holes that had been dug in the ground just outside of the village. The cows are tempted by the scent of the bark, and then run behind humans to follow them to the holes where they can drink the mixture. The first cow to drink from one of the holes “wins”, bestowing good fortune on the cow’s owner for the season ahead. The bark mixture helps the cows clear their systems of any parasites and aids in their digestion.
