The world’s oldest tribe and HIV

Donrsquot make fun of the camels pleaserdquo the driver warned me ldquoA German kid thought the face looked weird and that got translated The whole family was ambushed and butchered as they drove backrdquoThe Afars were described as a fierce and brutal lot Theyrsquore Ethiopiarsquos oldest tribe and have been herding cows sheep and camels around the pastures of Afarland for over 2000 years Their main food I was told was milk camelrsquos milk was premium Being pastoralists they were always on the move I was being driven across open pastures to an Afar camp by my hosts from an international NGO Letrsquos call them CONCERNCONCERN had a grasslands conservation project but had been unable to get any cooperation from the Afars To win them over they launched an HIV and family planning campaign all over the grasslands using fullyfitted mobile clinics but they didnrsquot seem to care about that either CONCERN invited me to spend a few days with the Afars and develop a communication strategy that would make them take up family planning wear condoms and use the mobile clinicsLike many western NGOs CONCERN thought this ancient tribe could do with a little lsquocivilisingrsquoThe Chief I had been warned would be a tough customer and I wouldnrsquot get very far if he didnrsquot take a shine to me but I had a hunch hersquod be pleased with my gift Irsquod learned that Afars relied on radio for everything and that the only radio in a tribe belonged to the Chief He who controls the news controls the communityBut radios need batteries The Chief beamed when he saw my gift a yearrsquos supply of batteries After that we were inseparable We sat in a circlemdashthe Chief me next to him a dozen Afars and a translator And talkedBy evening that day I knew why the Afars didnrsquot need any help with AIDS family planning and grasslands Theyrsquod figured it out for themselves Long agoYoung Afars returning from Awash after buying batteries and other items were bringing back stories of a new disease that hit people who visited lsquohouses with blue lightsrsquo the brothels The chief ordered more enquiries the disease was lethal and had no cure Within weeks the Chief issued new rulesmdashAny married Afar found having sex outside wedlock would be exiled from the tribemdashNo unmarried Afar could have sex until they were marriedmdashAny Afar caught going into a house with blue door lights also faced exileThe new rules reached other Afars through a brilliant wordofmouth communication tradition called dagu It had kept the tribe safe and secure for two millenniaWhen two Afars meet they must exchange dagu or hearsay Each Afar tells the other every little thing he saw and heard since morning A sitting can last hours and cover everything from what the sky looked like what was served at breakfast the dog that broke its leg and the neighbourrsquos wife who was drying clothesDagu in five categories is so urgent that it must be delivered without delaymdash1 Conflict Dagu relating to hostile rival tribes that could help avert war or give Afars the winning edge2 Health Anything about cattle health diseases deaths Secondarily dagu concerning womenrsquos health diseases cures3 Pastures Where the grass is good where depleted where encroachments are happening where grazing is prohibited4 Weather Where it is dry where it has rained where better or worse weather is expected5 Market What are the prices How many birrs is tef a local staple grain going for Is there a market for goats What is the price of batteries And so onDagu that relates to potential conflict with say the neighbouring Oromo tribe has top priority It must be taken straight to the camprsquos women who will emerge beating drums and raise the call to armsWithin days dagu had carried the new rules of sexual behaviour in the age of HIV to the remotest Afar in AfarlandAs far as family planning went the Afars over centuries have become experts at controlling pregnancy and lactation among their cows and camels They carefully manage their reproductive cycles using spacing and timing so that a supply of wholesome milk was assured for every Afar through the yearWhere HIV and family planning were concerned there was nothing the world could teach Afars Theyrsquod figured it out on their ownThe Chief saw me out to the waiting SUV and gave me a warm hug I couldnrsquot help saying ldquoThose camels of yoursmdashthey look so grossrdquoSuddenly he stopped walking and said something to the translatorldquoThe Chief says he never understood how such ugly animals could produce such amazing milkrdquoHere viewed from there C Y Gopinath in Bangkok throws unique light and shadows on Mumbai the city that raised him You can reach him at cygopigmailcomSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper