Love and death of cattle: The paradox in Suri attitudes toward livestock

Abstract

Livestock herding peoples are known for their close involvement with their animals, valuing them in multiple ways. This paper addresses the issue of the nature of emotional or moral commitment to livestock animals, particularly cattle, among a group of southwest Ethiopian livestock herders, the Suri people. From certain cases of cattle and sheep sacrifice it could be concluded that the Suri exercise particular cruelty towards their animals on certain ritual occasions. How do they see the issue of ‘affection vs. cruelty’ against stock animals themselves? How do attitudes toward animals relate to attitudes toward humans, notably neighboring ethnic groups with whom they are in conflict and who accuse them of using excessive violence? This paper argues that notions of affinity and equality indeed define human-animal relationships among the Suri but that these do not resolve the tensions inherent in their cattle being both economically useful and emotionally/aesthetically rewarding. Comparisons are made with the relationship of humans and animals as found in industrial societies.

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