The Things You Learn

Last week must have been a good week for learning random things about Kenyan culture. It seemed like every time that I had a conversation with someone I was learning something new.

I learned that this lizard (the red headed rock agama) is considered by Islam to be an unclean animal, like a pig or a dog. One got into a classroom and the kids were screaming like American kids might if a really big spider fell from the ceiling. Apparently, the prophet Mohamed was lost and needed directions. The only thing around to ask directions from was one of these lizards -- I guess it is kind of like Balaam's donkey talking to him...


Lizards must not be as smart as they look, though, because it gave him the wrong directions. As it's punishment, he made it an unclean animal. That means that, if you touch it, you are unclean as well, and you can't say prayers until you do a ritual washing. Thus, the running away and screaming when it came in.

I also learned that, back in the day, the only test to see whether or not you could get into first grade was that you were asked to reach over the top of your head and touch your ear. Still haven't figured out the logic of that one...let me know if you figure it out.

And, I learned that in at least one of the tribes from Western/Central Kenya, they have a saying that, if your hands are shaking, it means that you killed a lizard, and, if your legs are shaking, it means that you stepped on a lizard (Somehow, I learned a lot about lizards this week!). It is kind of like how people in some parts of America say that, if your ears are burning, it means that someone is talking about you.