photo by @randyolson | words by @neilshea13 — It had been a good season, despite the drought, and everyone agreed that Arabo Chiere should throw a party. He was a rich man, owned vast herds, and was widely thought to be a sorcerer, able to transform himself into any animal he wished. It was also the case that Arabo’s daughter had turned 12, or nearly so, which meant she was becoming a woman. All these details produced a ripeness that Arabo could not ignore, though he had tried for a while, before the elders finally chided him into accepting his duty. Now it was on: he would host a huge celebration, one of the most expensive and exhausting events of his life. The celebration, called a Guol, would nominally honor his daughter. More practically, it would provide what anthropologists call redistribution, in which wealth is spread through a community, binding its members in a great burst of ritual sharing. The Guol would draw relatives and friends from across the desert. They’d camp in Arabo’s village for days or even weeks. In the mornings there would be songs and dances, and in the evenings more would follow. By custom, Arabo would make all the arrangements. He’d slaughter his cows and goats for feasting, empty his pockets buying coffee, sorghum and tobacco. What seemed worst to me was that no one could say exactly when the Guol would end. About a week into the festivities, Arabo told me he was leaving, heading into the mountains. I thought he’d finally snapped. More guests were arriving every day. Had enough? I asked. He laughed. It’s not that, he said, wearily. It’s just—he waved a hand at a crowd of young men leaping and dancing nearby—they eat so much! I have to fetch more goats. These Instagram pieces are part of our ongoing project, #NGwatershedstories, and they’re linked to our feature article on Kenya’s Lake Turkana in the August issue of @natgeo magazine. For the last six years, we’ve been documenting culture, change, and conflict in the ecosystem that connects southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Join us @randyolson and @neilshea13 as we follow water down the desert. #2014 #africa #kenya #laketurkana #jadesea #daasanach #celebration #tradition #joy #d by natgeo http://ift.tt/1EEWHAz – Gatlinburg Garden Castle Rainbow Tower Library Imagination Station Temple Water Spirit Guardian Labyrinth Treasury Magic Healing