Eating Dogs | National Geographic

in northern benin humans revered dogs
for their loyalty and bravery but here
dogs also figure in an unusual ritual
every four years the baser baby people
initiate boys into manhood the process a
series of ceremonies including
circumcision hinges on a sacrifice to
honor their ancestors and bolster their
sons courage the base re be kill and eat
a dog this year endo Tian will lead the
ritual the base re beloved dogs
especially dogs with brave hearts and
loyal spirits the very qualities people
here hope to absorb when they eat the
animals a bio quantum mother the
soothsayer asks you to kill a dog so
that the boy won’t run away in fear
during the circumcision I’m Adam
II I you know you want a go of whether
he we don’t give names to the other
animals are you her mother but we give a
name to the dog mother what a murder
because he is our companion this dog has
a name patience for four years patience
has had a good life with his owner Seiko
but Seiko has always waited the day of
reckoning you follow the tradition what
our ancestors did is what I do when we
bought patience we knew that we were
killed
beneath the spreading baobab tree stands
the symbol of ancestral spirit the
fetish before villagers can eat their
share of dog they must feed the spirit
with sacrifices ATM’s father will begin
the ceremony though he appears Oh spirit
with millionnaire and chicken blood
the bird died clearly but patients must
live up to his name look up where the
ritual requires he be killed with a club
in some sacrifices suffering is what
makes it holy many in the village know
and like patience they’ll miss him
outside to give the dog but it is my
sister’s who started the tradition
Etienne offers the dog’s blood to the
spirits out of respect he leaves a piece
of a tail boys awaiting circumcision
dance readying themselves to eat the
magic meat they believe will awaken the
spirits of their ancestors before an
audience of village elders Etienne
follows the preparation ritual well I
don’t know animal to the spirit Etienne
offers roasted meat when we write the
recipe boils everyone in the village
will want a taste of the sacrificial
meal when you eat the dog did you get
good health so everyone wants to take a
little bit go go once the elders have
eaten younger villagers take their turn
they hope the dogs meat will give them
the courage to endure circumcision and
now that the initiation rite has begun
the villages dogs can rest easy at least
for another four years when the next
ritual occurs