Animals, Kenya

The King of Tala’s Market

The huge, satanic goat that lives in TalaThis goat is the king of Tala’s market (or at least he walks around like he owns the place). I’m not sure how old it is, but I’ve been seeing him for nearly two years now. That means it has lasted through at least two Christmas and two Easter feasts. A colleague of mine swears the goat has an owner, and I guess he’s probably right, but what gives? If it has an owner, it’s oblivious of the fact; this goat is does what it wants when it wants to! I took these pictures yesterday as I was walking home with my buddy Sammy (the jamaa (“dude”) in the shorts). I even saw it again tonight. I tried to take a picture of it last week but my phone’s battery had died. Good thing too, because my buddy was calling me a tourist, haha!

One afternoon I took a back route home from the market and I saw a girl relaxing on a blanket and smoking some weed; there was nobody else around, but the goat was proudly standing just a few feet away from her. I just cracked up. Another time I walked past a church crusade (singing, dancing, evangelizing) on a Sunday in Tala’s market, and it was standing right behind the crowd of people, as if to remind onlookers of that age-old duality of good versus evil. Yet another time I was leaving the market a bit late and I saw it just chillin’ in the public transit terminus (a bit creepy because it was dark, the wind was blowing, and the market was nearly deserted). Besides, look at the horns on this thing!

We’re used to it by now, but it never ceases to crack me up. Crazy Tala!

8 Comments to “The King of Tala’s Market”

  1. hey! i’m in dar right now!
    my swahili kind of sucks, sesotho keeps coming out of my mouth instead, but i’m getting by.
    zanzibar is the COOLEST PLACE OF MY LIFE!
    you east africans are lucky

  2. glo

    the goat looks like some wild mountain goats I saw over the weekend in Wales and was told that they love hanging out with people and they love sweets!

    1. Sana

      Tom-You are the sheitan!I have seen this goat and I think it is the most exciting happening in this sleepy town of Tala.It should be advertised as a tourist attraction

  3. TOM

    Alan…i know this mbuzi…am a resident of tala and infact at first i was scared even now sometimes when i see it i just cant look at it twice(pepo baya!!!)shetani ashindwe……..

  4. Chickita

    All manner of things have been said about that goat:that it is more than just a goat,that if you are talking about it with someone in the market it will walk right up to you(like,talk of the devil….).I’ve seen that goat too and the first time I did,I could not help noticing how extra big it looked!

    1. Alan Author

      The goat is definitely a great attraction. I wish I had started taking pictures of it sooner, I could have had a series going. I’ve seen the goat in some funny places over the past two years… Also, I’d never roast it cuz I don’t like goat meat ;)

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