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  • 2017-05-23 (xsd:date)
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  • Did Masai Tribespeople Donate 14 Cows to the United States After 9/11? (en)
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  • A popular meme holding that Kenyan Masai tribe members donated 14 cows to the United States in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack is frequently posted on social media: Although this meme is accurate, its brief text brings up a few questions: Did the Masai ship the cows to the United States? Were the cows meant to be a food source? Were they taken to the White House? The story of the Masai and their 14 cows begins with Kimeli Naiyomah, a member of the tribe who left Kenya to study medicine in the United States. After the September 11th attacks, Naiyomah returned to Kenya, where he told the tribespeople, many of whom were unaware of the incident, about 9/11. The New York Times reported in 2002: The Masai, saddened by the tragedy and relieved that Naiyomah had not been hurt, wanted to show solidarity with the United States. They decided to donate cows, an animal they hold sacred. On 1 June 2002, the Masai held a ceremony in the village of Enoosaen, where tribe elders presented U.S. Ambassador to Kenya William Brencick with 14 cows. The BBC reported at the time: Brencick called the gift the highest expression of regard and sympathy. ''The cow is almost the center of life for us,'' Naiyomah explained. ''It's sacred. It's more than property. You give it a name. You talk to it. You perform rituals with it. I don't know if you have any sacred food in America, something that has a supernatural feel as you eat it. That's the cow for us.'' However, logistical constraints prevented the animals from actually being transported to the U.S. It wasn't until 2006 that American diplomats finally decided to use the cows to start an education fund: The cows were each branded with a symbol resembling the twin towers on their ears. According to the book 14 Cows for America, the American cows multiplied and numbered 35 at the time of its publication in 2009. Here's a video report about the Masai Tribe's gift after 9/11: (en)
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