This Tribe In South Sudan Bathes In Cow Urine And Uses Dung As Sunscreen

One of the primary notions of this world is that India is the only nation which treats cows as their god and worships them daily. This belief, however, is not true, as the Mundari Tribe of South Sudan has accommodated their entire lifestyle in caring for their prized livestock which includes them guardian their cows with machine guns.

The cows belong to the Ankole Watushi breed, also known as ‘the cattle of kings’. These cows grow up to eight feet tall and are worth as much as $500 (Rs 41,000) each. The herdsmen of this tribe considered these cows as their most valuable asset.

For Mundari, a cow is not just an animal but a question of their prestige. When the cows sleep, the people of this tribe stand guard with machine guns to protect them from possible theft or killing. With an impressive build of Mundari Tribe people, it’s hard to believe that their diet only consists of the dairy products which they extract from their cows. Other bodily fluids of Ankole Watushi cattle are also used for bathing and brushing by these herdsmen.

Mundari men squat under the streams of cow urine which as a result has changed their hair colour to orange due to the presence of ammonia in it. The dung of these cows is piled high and burned. The ashes produced from it are used in the form of sunscreen by these tribal people to protect themselves from a scorching 115-degree heat, as per the report of CNN.

Due to the high price of this livestock, these Ankole Watushi cattle are rarely killed for meat. However, they are often exchanged among the tribe’s people as gifts or dowry. Mundari people also massage their cattle twice daily and even sleep with their favourite animal. These are their status symbols.

Photographer Tariq Zaidi has documented the lives and devotion of South Sudan’s Mundari tribe people towards these animals. In his report, he mentions, “It’s hard to overstate the importance of cattle to the Mundari people. These animals are everything to them.” as quoted by CNN. During his visit, he said that almost every member of this tribe wanted him to take a picture of them with their favourite cow.