ABSTRACT
Cattle should be slaughtered only for purposes of meat consumption. The sacrificial significance of cattle was further undercut by people’s acceptance of a more open identification between cattle and meat—an identification fostered in part by the development of regional cattle markets and partly by evolving Nuer practices and principles of hospitality. People were also highly cognizant of the fact that the lives of many of their cattle could be saved each year if they had access to appropriate vaccines. The chapter traces regional variations in the relative tempo and thrust of these developments and explores their more subtle impact on people’s interpretations of the boundary separating what lies within and beyond human control. It attempts to capture some of the social and emotional turmoil generated by Nuer encounters with the rival forces of Christianity and Islam while simultaneously demonstrating the enduring resilience and transcendent creativity of local prophetic traditions.
