2007-11-20, Eating Dog - 古老神秘的祭狗仪式

In northern Benin, humans revere¹ dogs for their loyalty² and bravery. But here dogs also figure in an unusual ritual.

Every 4 years, the Bessarabia people initiate³ boys into manhood. The process, a series of ceremonies including circumcision, hinges on a sacrifice to honor their ancestors and bolster⁴ their sons’ courage. The Bessarabia kill and eat a dog. This year Ender Atian will lead the ritual.

The Bessarabia love dogs, especially dogs with brave heart and loyal spirit, the very quality people here hope to absorb when they eat the animals.

“The Suesell asks you to kill a dog so that the boys won’t run away in fear during the circumcision.”
“We don’t give names to the other animals. But we give a name to the dog because he is our companion.”

This dog has a name “Patience”. For 4 years, Patience has had a good life with his owner Sago. But Sago has always awaited the day of reckoning.

“I follow the tradition. What our ancestors did is what I do. When we bought Patience, we knew that we will kill him for the fetish.”
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.

Atian’s father will begin the ceremony. He appeases⁵ the spirit with miller⁶ beer and chicken blood. The bird died quickly. But Patience must live up to his name. Ritual requires he be killed with the club. In some sacrifices, suffering is what makes that holy. Many in the village know and like Patience. They will miss him.

“I’m sad to kill the dog, but it is my ancestors who started the tradition.”

Atian offers the dog’s blood to the spirits. Out of respect, he leaves a piece of the tail. Boys awaiting circumcision dance, readying themselves to eat the magic meat they believe to awaken⁷ the spirits of their ancestors.

Before an audience of village elders, Atian bows the preparation ritual. To the spirits Atian offers roasted meat. The rest he boils. Everyone in the village will want a taste of the sacrificial meat.

“When you eat the dog, you get good health. So everyone wants to take a little bit.”

Once the elders have eaten, younger villagers take their turn. They hope the dog’s meat will give them the courage to endure circumcision.

And now that the initiation⁸ rite⁹ has begun, the village's dogs can rest easy, at least for another 4 years when the next ritual occurs.

1 revere   

vt.尊崇，崇敬，敬畏

参考例句：

• Students revere the old professors.学生们十分尊敬那些老教授。
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven.中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。

2 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

3 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

4 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

5 appeases   

安抚，抚慰( appease的第三人称单数 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

参考例句：

• Have tough-minded boy only, ability appeases billows, hoist the sails Yuan Hang. 只有意志坚强的小伙子，才能平息波澜，扬帆远航。
• Hong Kong white-collars when work often appeases hunger by between-meal snack. 香港白领在工作时就常以零食充饥。

6 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

7 awaken   

vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起

参考例句：

• Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
• Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

8 initiation   

n.开始

参考例句：

• her initiation into the world of marketing 她的初次涉足营销界
• It was my initiation into the world of high fashion. 这是我初次涉足高级时装界。

9 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。