ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to present an historical perspective on pastoralism in Africa, particularly East Africa, where the largest concentrations of cattle. Melville J. Herskovits had said that cattle are eaten only on certain ceremonial occasions, or when they die, but the Pokot of Kenya, one of the groups among whom the cattle complex was said to be prominent were shown to make up reasons to eat their cattle. The view of cattle as food will be taken up first after which we can explore the theory of cattle as repositories of value. The role of cattle as repositories of value can be demonstrated in various ways, beginning with their use as media of exchange. If one accepts the subsistence explanation for pastoral management practices, that the people are trying to maximize the utility of cattle for subsistence, then in the arid areas there is no reliable substitute for cattle or other livestock.
