SHEEP, GOATS, PIGS, CATTLE AND CHICKENS [PART 1]
The Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution (12,000 years ago) marked an important chapter in the evolution of Homo sapiens. In fact, it is identified as the most significant, out of the revolutions. One key phenomenon was the domestication of animals (although this is secondary to the domestication of wheat and vice versa). What interests me is ‘how’ this was achieved.
The multi-million copy bestseller ‘Sapiens; A Brief History of Humankind’ by Prof. Yuval Noah Harai provides a much-needed insight.
Nomadic bands stalked wild sheep gradually altering the constitutions of the herds. Humans developed skills in selective hunting to suit their needs. Careful selection of the most aggressive unruly sheep most resistant to human control were slaughtered first. The skinny ones with curiosity were slaughtered too. Apparently, the shepherds are not fond of such curious sheep who would break away and wander far from their herd. The most submissive and appealing ones were preferred and were kept alive. As generations passed, sheep became more submissive, less curious and fat.
“Mary had a little lamb and everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go.”
(Harari, Y.N., 2011)
Farmers developed ways to curtail the movement of pigs, cattle, horses, and donkeys to break their natural instincts and social ties, and to contain their aggression and sexuality making them obedient. The process of domestication invloved brutal practices with increasing cruelty; locking, lashing with whips, bridling, using cattle prods and even male castration restraining male aggression. In New Guinean societies, chunks of the noses of pigs were cut off making it painful to sniff (can not find food on their own) and their eyes were gouged out (can not see where to go) making them immobile and eventually leading them to completely dependent on their human owners. The ones that were allowed to live were the ones which supplied milk, eggs and meat, material like skin and wool and muscle power to plough, grinding transportation; until the time was right for the trip to the slaughter house. Humans selectively controlled the reproduction and the generations of these domesticated animals started living alien life to their desires and urges. One of the most cruel strategies used by the Nuer tribe in Sudan in milking was to tie a ring of thorns to the mouth of the calf so that it pricks the mother making her resist suckling. Tuareg camel breeders used to cut parts of the nose and upper lip of young camels to discourage drinking too much milk due to the pain caused when suckling.
Now that we know ‘how’ it was achieved, my next attempt is to use this understanding to frame the socio-political space in Ceylon - sometimes the name ‘Ceylon’ appears to be an appropriate term than ‘Sri Lanka’.
Reference
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