The Challenge of Reaching Nomadic Pastoralists Nomadic pastoralists are a challenge to Christian missions as they comprise what is probably the largest remaining block of unreached peoples to be won for Jesus Christ... Of all people in the world, they are probably the most God-conscious but culturally the most remote from the Western Church. by Malcolm Hunter

edouin with TV antennas sprouting there are reasons why people adopt this aimlessly around in the bush. They are B over their tents. Tuaregs giving way of life. The simplest and prob- following carefully planned opportu- up their to drive around the Sahara ably most ancient expression of this nistic strategies, utilizing the resource of in Toyota Land Cruisers—only their socio-economic system are the spatial mobility. One of these survival enigmatic eyes peering out between their hunter-gatherers. Many societies still exist strategies is that some, or even all of the turbans and veils. Maasai warriors in in the least developed parts of the family members may have to leave full regalia and flowing mud-plastered world, especially in Indonesia, South the traditional lands to find tem- hair, hurling sticks at one another and America and more remote parts of porary alternative employment or performing their flat footed dances at 3:15 Africa. Australian Aborigines, the Bush- food. This does not mean that they should every afternoon for the benefit of men of the Kalahari and Pyg- cease to be considered as pastoralists camera-toting tourists. mies of Central Africa are some of the since their primary orientation is still These and a few other weird and better known survivors of what was towards . There are many wonderful aberrations of the twentieth once probably the dominant lifestyle on displaced pastoralists living in cities; century are what most people know earth. working as casual laborers or guards, of pastoral nomadic societies. For every Pastoralists are people whose major or in famine relief camps, whose main one of these commercialized manifes- source of food, or income is depen- goal in life is to gather a few animals tations there are thousands of authentic dent on animals. Because many of them to enable them to return to nomadic or herdsmen, women, boys and girls liv- occupy land that is usually arid or semi-nomadic pastoralism. ing a very similar existence to that of our semi-arid with unreliable rainfall, they There are few pastoralists left on well-documented pastoralist prede- have to be able to take their animals earth who can live exclusively as cessors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They to the places where grazing and water can ; most are semi-nomadic, operat- are little known, except through the be found. These pastoralists are ing somewhere along a continuum pages of National Geographic magazine described as nomadic or semi-nomadic, from pure nomadism to agro-pastoralism. and a few exotic TV documentaries. depending largely on how much they Agro-pastoralism has become so They often live in uncongenial places move looking for grazing. Pastoralists much the norm that it is impossible to where tourist buses do not run. who spend more than half their time define nomads as those who do not For Christians, these of the herding animals away from homes or cul- cultivate. It is also incorrect to say that remotest and mountains are tivated settlements are generally their use of shows that not just colorful reminders of the earliest described as semi-nomadic. They may nomadic pastoralism is dying out. There ancestors of our faith but a striking engage in other farming activities or have always been examples of this challenge to that faith. They are not just a seek seasonal or temporary work in set- mixed form of agriculture (a harvest from bizarre anachronism in human society tled agricultural areas, or in cities as digging in the dirt and a harvest on which will disappear if we ignore them. casual laborers, but their traditional and the hoof). Whatever their position on the They are the natural descendants and preferred lifestyle is in animal hus- continuum, they will think of them- successors of many races who have bandry. The animals are often essential selves as primarily animal who learned to survive and make a living for transporting goods and people to rarely own land privately. in some of the world’s most undesirable new locations as well as more frequent One of the defining features of real estate, not just in Africa, but on haulage of water. Farmers with ani- nomadic pastoralists is that they can- all five continents. mals who spend less than half their time not own any particular piece of land as Who are They? in herding them and more time in cul- they must be able to move their “har- tivation are usually known as agro- We need to understand that there are vest on the hoof” to the grazing areas pastoralists. as many variations of nomadism as where the rain will fall. This is the Nomadic pastoralists do not wander primary reason for their nomadism in the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS, VOL 14:4 OCT.-DEC. 1997 184 The Challenge of Reaching Nomadic Pastoralists arid and semi-arid lands where erratic and A recent study published by Winrock pastoralists. unpredictable rainfall can be expected International states that arid and semi- There are of course other well to bring rain somewhere in their grazing arid lands cover about one-third of the know nomadic societies in Europe, the area during the year, but not usually earth’s land surface, but nearly two- Gypsies or Romanies. The tenacity everywhere. It is this unpredictability of thirds of the African continent. The with which most of these maintain their rainfall, rather than its paucity, which majority of African and pos- traditional way of life in spite of is often the chief problem for pastoralists, sibly 30 million livestock-dependent peo- every effort by Western government and and the main reason for their needing ple reside in these dry zones (Ellis local authorities to restrict their move- to keep moving. 1994). ments and to induce them to be “socially Nomadic pastoralism is often the This is the natural habitat of responsible” and settle down is quite most efficient if not the only means of nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists in remarkable. resource extraction in semi-arid lands. Africa. Because of the difficulty in How Many are There? It has been demonstrated repeatedly that defining who are nomadic pastoralists it is It is quite impossible to say with any on comparable grazing land it is con- even more difficult to count numbers. degree of precision that will please siderably more efficient than ranching, as Added to this problem is measuring a Western numerologists of the global pop- well as much less demanding in ini- moving target. In Asia there may be ulation of nomadic pastoralists. The tial capital costs. as many or more people dependent on maximum computation using the broadest There are many specialist skills herding animals, although the reasons definition could be as many as 200 and trades which are practiced by people for their nomadism may be different. million. It is equally difficult to say how in third-world societies which result Their movement is often due to many ethnic groups can be described in them moving widely without any fixed extremes of cold and snow at certain as nomadic or semi-nomadic. But this abode, e.g., blacksmiths, leather times of the year, requiring them to could range between 100 and 1,000 workers, tinkers and tent-makers. There change altitude, and therefore location. nomadic groups depending again on defi- are even some societies in This is sometimes called transhu- nition. where the women serve as prostitutes as mance as it involves moving between dif- they move with their men folk doing ferent soils and climatic zones. Why are They a Challenge? seasonal manual and agricultural work. There is another major area of the Nomadic pastoralists are a chal- These can be differentiated from world where a specialized form of lenge to Christian missions as they com- migrant workers who have a house or pastoralism is practiced—herding rein- prise what is probably the largest piece of property to which they will deers. This area extends from north- remaining block of unreached peoples to return periodically. ern Scandinavia through Siberia. Like be won for Jesus Christ. In terms of Where are They? many other areas in the former USSR numbers of people they are not large, but Nomadic pastoralists can be found in where pastoralism was practiced, official in terms of the number of ethnic enti- desert or semi-arid regions of the communist policies have had devas- ties with the same socio-economic homo- world, as well as the mountains or high tating effects on the lives and productivity geneity, where the Church of Jesus plateaus. Africa is the most obvious of people who were once self- Christ has not yet been established, they continent, having several different types sufficient nomadic or semi-nomadic pas- are certainly a very important chal- of lands. Some, therefore conclude, toralists. Whether these people can or lenge. Of all people in the world, they are this is where most nomadic pastoralists will want to return to their former way of probably the most God-conscious but reside. Others think that central Asia life is uncertain. Much of their tradi- culturally most remote from the Western may have the greatest numbers: , tional range land has been destroyed by Church. If the command and promise , Northern , Southern misguided communal agricultural of the Lord Jesus is taken seriously, that , , , even Iraq, and projects. This has demonstrated again, as the gospel of the kingdom will be Israel and the . in Africa, that nomadic pastoralists preached in all the world to every ethnic There are some surprisingly ancient usually occupy land which is only margi- group (Matt. 24:14), then these nomadic herders in the Andes of nally suitable for cultivation. If the nomadic pastoral groups must be South America. As for Europe, Australia, land is put under the plow it may yield an included, and effective evangelistic the Arctic there are not many survi- occasional but diminishing harvest. strategies must be found and employed. vors left after the onslaught of Western The land soon becomes unprofitable for At present, most nomadic pastor- exploitation of land and its traditional agriculture and will be useless as alists are Muslim because Islam is usually occupants. reserve grazing when it is most needed by seen as a religion suitable for nomads. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS Malcolm Hunter 185

As one old Somali world where there is no such luxury as a generations how to live with the hardships expressed it, “When you can put your rubbish heap of the rich. If their ani- and uncertainties of their environ- Christian church on the back of my camel mals die, they have no other resource to ment. That indigenous knowledge has then I will think Christianity is for us fall back on. A farmer affected by been passed down effectively to all . As it is, I am a Muslim because lack of rain may get a reduced crop, but successful herd owners. Should we not try all I need is a prayer mat and I can he can plant again for the next rains. to benefit from that knowledge before pray anywhere. We only see you praying If a pastoralist loses his animals he has trying to introduce new ideas and once a week in church where one man nothing left to allow him to start approaches? says what he thinks and everyone else sits again. He either “dies in the desert” or he Common Misconceptions down with their eyes closed.” moves to the margins of the city— 1. “Pastoralists are a dying If pastoralists have seen anything at usually to the poorest slums. There he will breed.” It is true that in terms of present all of Christianity it is probably in the take the lowest place with the least influence compared with past power, form of a mission station or institution, chance of getting work, other than the their power has greatly diminished, as such as clinics, schools or have their population. That is settlement programs. Even worse ...relationships. That is what primarily because of the exploding is the image where Christian population of settled people in development workers give the nomadic pastoral societies cities and rural communities. But impression that nomadic pas- have in depth, whatever else in reality, it is believed that the toralists should settle down and they may lack. God has no number of individuals living more start cultivating if they want or less dependent on animals is to become Christians. This inevi- problem communicating with not diminishing. The combined and tably places an unnecessary nomadic peoples. It is Chris- cumulative effect of loss of obstacle in accepting the gospel grazing lands, and increasing to people whose way of life tian missionaries who seem to , is the impover- is strongly orientated towards have the problems. ishment of the pastoralists to the- nomadism. In some nomadic point of destitution and dislocation pastoralist societies, cultivation was most low paid and dangerous jobs from their means of livelihood. something done only by slaves. There such as guards or night watchmen. are others who might be willing to “dig in Nomadic pastoralists are not usually 2. “Just leave them alone and the the dirt” as a last desperate measure, physiologically capable of carrying heavy nomadic pastoralists will soon all settle but it is most regrettable when this loads nor of digging gardens. Psycho- down or come to live in the cities.” becomes synonymous with following logically they are most unsuited for the The first response to this misconception is “the Jesus way.” fierce competitiveness of urban life. that they will not give up easily. They have learned to live in the most adverse The most unfortunate misrepre- It is at last being widely acknowl- conditions over the centuries and sentation of all occurs where the Church edged by the rural development have developed great resilience and forti- is presented as a building or even a industry that whatever progress may have tude. Drought, famines, outbreaks of particular “sacred place.” The Church is, been made in assisting settled agricul- disease and losses to raiders are and always has been, essentially tural people, their Western-based efforts nothing new to nomadic pastoralists. based on relationships. That is what amongst nomadic pastoralists have When they are forced to leave their graz- nomadic pastoral societies have in been unhelpful. There are even some ing lands and move into cities to work depth, whatever else they may lack. God experienced evaluators who are pre- or beg for food, the conditions in which has no problem communicating with pared to say that nearly all development they live are usually so awful and nomadic peoples. It is Christian mission- projects attempted by outside agen- alien to their traditional way of life that aries who seem to have the problems. cies, both foreign and national, have been they provide a great incentive for the Nomadic pastoralists are a challenge of negative value, creating massive pastoralists to return to the bush. They can to all concerned for the well being of dependency. This has led a few wise men often be seen in the cities starting to the most neglected and marginalised peo- to say that wise development planners gather together a few animals to form a ple. It is sometimes thought that the must take a humbler approach, listening small flock, usually of and poorest people on earth are those who live to and learning from the nomadic pas- , which they hope will one day ena- on the garbage of the more affluent. toralists, before any plans are made. The ble them to return to the old grazing Most pastoralists live and move in a pastoralists have learned over many lands. Alternatively, some individuals

VOL 14:4 OCT.-DEC. 1997 186 The Challenge of Reaching Nomadic Pastoralists who can find gainful employment, will commercial ranching in meat production, component of the rural population. Those work in the cities or agricultural as well as being much less costly to government officials are most likely schemes in order to send money back to set up. It offers employment and food to to come from settled urban or farming their family. These remittances can many rural people rather than wealth societies, and therefore have consider- enable part of the family to survive in the to a few. able difficulty understanding the values bush and even to increase the size of 4. “Nomadic pastoralism is the and worldview of nomadic pastoral- the herds more rapidly by buying animals cause of much of the increasing desertifi- ists. In many countries there are deep his- at the lowest prices when other less cation in the world and therefore toric social differences between pas- fortunate pastoralists are forced to sell in should be controlled or even eliminated.” toralists and farmers, even centuries of drought times. In reality it has been proven from hostilities. In some cases, resentment 3. “Nomadic pastoralists will soon long-term observations that it is not the of former slaves towards dominant herd owners exists. accept the inevitability by becoming alleged of pastoralists farmers if given the right assistance and which causes most of the damage, but Nomadic pastoralism may be the only incentives.” This misconception is more often, attempts to plow up grass means of resource extraction from usually based on the presupposition that lands which were not suitable for cultiva- arid and semi-arid lands, and pastoralists cultivation is a natural progression for tion (too dry and sandy). This is most are usually the only people willing rural people as they “develop.” It ignores clearly demonstrated in the where and able to endure the hardships of living several important facts: (a) most farmers from the south have pushed in those remote areas. They will inev- nomadic pastoralists live in areas of the further and further northwards into the itably have to live without the benefits of modern urban facilities, such as elec- world where cultivation is not a fringes of the Sahara. They have cut tricity, piped water and sanitation. Third- viable alternative due not just to the pau- down the natural bush and broken up the world governments may have to pro- city of rainfall but more often its root system of the grasses so that ero- vide basic services, such as health, veteri- unpredictability, (b) if this land is not sion quickly begins to occur from water nary care, water development and used by pastoralists then it will prob- and wind. Crops may be harvested education. These services often fail due to ably be totally nonproductive and the initially if the rains fall on that place at the the unwillingness of trained staff to numbers of people who could have right time, but the soil will soon lose serve in remote assignments. lived there will have to find land or its productivity or will be carried away by employment elsewhere, (c) nomadic erosion. Key Issues in Christian Ministry pastoralists are not a recent or passing If rain falls one mile away or a hun- 1. Recognize the existence and com- phase of human society. They are dred miles away from his field, the plexity of the problem. Ministry to some of the most resourceful and resilient farmer receives the same yield, nothing. nomadic peoples is quite different from people on earth. In the words of a In the same circumstances, the pastor- ministry to settled rural or urban peo- recent expert witness, “All nomads are alist can take his animals to the place ple. It is generally assumed that the same opportunists, and the adaptability and where the rain fell and derive the ben- strategies that have proved effective cultural flexibility that opportunism efit—a harvest on the hoof. This is one in nearby areas with settled cultivating demands means that they are possibly value of nomadic pastoralism in areas people will be effective among pasto- better equipped than any of the world’s where rain fall is unpredictable. Contrary ral people. Both Western and national traditional peoples to withstand dra- to ecologically based dire warnings, missionaries from non-nomadic cul- matic change” (George Monbiot, No under-grazing can be more serious a prob- tures seem to have similar difficulty Man’s Land), (d) the alternative to lem than over-grazing. Coarse bush understanding the worldview and val- pastoralism, experienced by those who are can take over traditional grazing areas if ues of people whose primary orientation forced due to herd losses to live in not used for several years. If land is is nomadic or semi-nomadic. city slums or famine relief camps is so apparently over-grazed, a few days of rain 2. Little serious missionary effort has alien and the conditions so appalling can quickly replenish the for been directed towards nomadic pas- that they will do anything to get back to months of grazing. toralists as they are generally considered their traditional lifestyle, (e) pastoral- 5. “Nomadic pastoralists are to be resistant to the gospel, difficult ism, even semi-nomadic or agro-pastoral, primitive and resistant to progress in to get to and to live amongst. Most mis- is more attractive to many cohesive, developing countries.” This unfortu- sions have preferred to concentrate socially integrated peoples than modern nate attitude is most commonly held by their limited resources on more accessible individualism found in cities, and (f) officials of developing countries and apparently responsive people. pastoralism can be more efficient than where pastoralists comprise a significant This misses the missiological point that INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS Malcolm Hunter 187 they are an essential part of the Great tion of “unplanned crisis” which makes it on his mentor or master. “How much is he Commission. If it is true that they are almost impossible to maintain a rea- paid to believe this new religion? His “among the most difficult to reach” peo- listic balance of spiritual and physical faith is worth as much as his wages. ples then there is little point in leav- ministry. It can be even more difficult When the income or assistance stops, ing them until last. We need to address to make the transition from short-term so will his religion.” this challenge more urgently and relief to long-term development and In a pastoral society this lack of intelligently. As to the charge that they rehabilitation. credibility is magnified if the first profess- are resistant to the gospel, it ing believers all happen to be seems that it may be more cor- As to the charge that nomadic from the destitute families who rect to say that it is our pres- peoples are resistant to the have lost all their animals. In entation of the gospel which has such societies, to lose the herd you been resistant to their value gospel, it seems that it may be inherited from your father is system. Much of current mis- more correct to say that it is the ultimate disaster and disgrace. sionary work among pasto- Loss of the animals means seri- ral people may have been nega- our presentation of the gospel ous loss of self-esteem and usually tive to them as it gives the which has been resistant to the respect of the other pastor- impression that Christianity is their value system. alists who manage to keep their for settled people, while herd, even if much diminished. Islam is the religion for nomads. It is not hard to see why the 3. There has been a general mis- 5. Most missionaries want to missionary does no great service by conception by outside agencies, both sec- have a house somewhere to call home. If concentrating efforts on the poorest ular and missionary, that nomadic they choose to build it “as close to the dependent people who gather around pastoralism is a “primitive,” inefficient people as possible,” meaning somewhere his “dwelling in the desert.” If he does and unsustainable socio-economic in the middle of the grazing lands, choose to live as “close as possible to system that is “dying out.” Several recent they will soon attract an assortment of the the people” he will need to make deliber- studies have shown that it is consider- most desperately needy people ate and determined efforts to direct ably more efficient than ranching or any around. They may encourage them to his main communication towards the eld- other agricultural system in making come to live around the home ers and respected herd owners still in use of land which is marginally produc- because of the need for manual help in the bush or in the main settlements, if tive because of inadequate rainfall. It clearing land or collecting local mate- they are semi-nomadic. is quite true that many of the children of rials. What they will find is that they have 6. The alternative to the settled mis- traditional pastoral nomadic people attracted the poorest, laziest, most sionary approach i.e., “dwelling in are leaving that life style to look for work incompetent herd managers who have lost the desert” is to take the approach of try- elsewhere but that is often seen as an all their animals, the most destitute ing to be as nomadic as possible. This opportunity to diversify the economic and disenfranchised members of the implies that the missionary and his fam- options for the family. The most com- nomadic pastoral community. ily, if he/she has one, will need to petent herd managers stay with the ani- Missionaries may be encouraged at find a house in a suitable urban location mals while those who find work in first to find a ready audience for the as near as possible to the pastoral settled areas usually start to collect money gospel from these former pastoralists area, but far enough outside it so that he or animals to send back to help gathered for whatever they can can get adequate rest periodically. rebuild the herd. receive. They may even be able to write This should probably be located in a large 4. There are often immense mate- home after a surprisingly short time enough town or village so that he can rial needs that the missionary cannot and tell exciting stories of numbers com- hope to assume a lower profile without avoid addressing, if living amongst ing to services and professing to facing the constant demands of minis- them. The people make the missionary accept Christ. There may well be some try to the local community. appear uncomfortably rich at the best who truly do believe the message and From this base he, and possibly of times. In the inevitable drought and become Christians but unfortunately their his family, sometimes can move out to the famine, the demands of human suffer- dependence on the missionary deval- true pastoralist heartland—the actual ing and starvation can overwhelm the mis- ues their profession. It is the same lack of grazing areas. He does not need to follow sionary. When he does try to respond credibility accorded to any new con- them around in the bush as is often with famine relief, it is usually in a situa- vert who is dependent for physical help imagined—feared by most missionary

VOL 14:4 OCT.-DEC. 1997 188 The Challenge of Reaching Nomadic Pastoralists recruits. When pastoralists are watching doubly welcome and will probably assure back door has been opened the trickle their animals in the bush it is not at all himself of an invitation to join the inexorably grows in numbers and the best time to try to talk with them as people for the evening meal. complexity. It is almost inevitable that a they are preoccupied in keeping track The possibilities and positive separate clinic building will come, of the animals so they will not stray or opportunities in this approach are obvi- just for hygienic reasons to keep the diar- come under attack from wild animals ous, but there is of course the nega- rhea off his doorstep. Usually some or stolen by raiding parties from other cat- tive side. How long can he live that sort of sort of shelter comes next to allow the tle-herding groups. nomadic mission life? It is undeniably sick children and families to sleep In practice it has proved much easier exhausting in the heat, dust and flies that over night when they come long distances for a “nomadic missionary” to make come with the cattle to the watering to get the only help within walking short visits to a well or water pond. This places all day and at certain times all distance. is especially true if he has contacts night. Few people can appreciate the Sooner or later the inevitable who will give him some leads or intro- isolation and sheer monotony of spending demand for medical attention will require duce him to some of the herdsmen night after night in remote and often a full-time worker, either missionary who come to water their animals. If the noisy camps (the animals regularly stir or a trained national. In either case, a missionary is willing to do this he around, bellowing or bleating with proper separate dwelling will be will find that all the active pastoralists the herdsmen jumping up to quiet them or needed. Usually by this time a pumped will come to him very regularly: in to drive off the hyenas). It is little water supply has been installed which good times, every day or in drought, at the wonder that few missionaries care to take may begin with a wind driven pump but most every third day. These contacts this approach. It is certainly more will lead before long to electrical at the watering point will often lead to convenient and attractive for missionary power. This used to mean a diesel genera- invitations to go back to the camps families to take the option of building tor but now we have the considerably groups in the grazing areas in the evening his “dwelling in the desert” to be as “close more efficient but expensive solar equip- to spend the night where the people to the people as possible.” The prob- ment. Not just the array of panels but are staying in clusters or extended family. lem with this strategy is that it has been deep cycle batteries, special fluorescent Here is where the real opportunities proven over and over again not to be lights, fans, pumps and solar refriger- for the “nomadic missionary” begin. He effective if the goal is to plant an attrac- ators follow. It is true that they are cheap will find that soon after dark, when tive church amongst people whose to operate but the time and money all the animals have been secured for the primary orientation is nomadic. spent procuring and installing this high night and milked as appropriate, the 7. Another problem with the mis- tech equipment are all investments people are delighted to spend all the time sion station approach amongst nomadic which will tie the missionary more and the missionary wants to give to talk peoples is that however simply the more to his buildings. with them. missionary may have initially planned to Whatever the original intention may There is a question that is perti- live, things never seem to stay that have been in the mind of the mission- nent in nearly all of the third-world rural way. He may have begun with a simple ary not to build a permanent church on the areas, “What do you plant after the prefabricated and supposedly portable mission station, it seems an almost sun goes down?” Answer: “The Church.” building but soon he finds that a store is inevitable development to put up such a This is never more relevant than needed to keep the food supplies structure. Some times it is said that amongst the pastoralists. They may or essential for feeding the needy people the local Christians insist that they want may not plant a crop but the mission- gathering around him. Usually he or one but in reality it is more often ary has his finest opportunity to plant the his wife cannot avoid getting involved in pressure from supporting churches back in seeds of the church in those long eve- medical work whether or not they are the missionary’s home country who ning sessions. He may choose to travel by medically trained. It will often begin by send the money to build one. Visitors foot, camel, or but it is the occasional visitor to the back door from overseas who like to come to often quite possible and acceptable to desperate for a malaria tablet or some- see their missionary in action usually travel by a 4-wheel drive vehicle. thing for diarrhea. The missionary express surprise if there is no “proper This allows him to carry a few people as cannot deny that he has the medicine on church” amongst all the other buildings guides and also to haul enough water hand as he needs it for himself and that have sprung up. It seems to them back to the camp to make him very wel- his family, and of course, Christian com- such a good cause to present to the fellow- come. If he cares to boil a large pot of passion compels him to give what he ship back home for a “worthy pro- tea for the people at the camp he will be has in a time of obvious need. Once that ject.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS Malcolm Hunter 189

How often money is allowed to deter- allows them to pray anywhere and really society, which is especially true among mine missionary strategy! It would be anytime that is convenient, as long as nomadic pastoralists. a very strong person who could resist the they try to do it five times a day. All they Development Projects pressure to build a “proper church” need is a prayer mat. Everyone has Following are lessons that have when the supporters back home are so something that will serve that purpose, been learned in relation to development in keen to send the funds. In his heart he even an old skin if nothing else both West and East Africa. Large should have grave misgivings about the is available. scale irrigation projects and resettlement consequences of this ecclesiastical The only surprising part of this schemes have generally been the most building project. All the problems of the frequently repeated scenario is that virtu- common and costly intervention missions station church are greatly ally every Christian, missionary or attempted but the least helpful if magnified in a nomadic community, not, will strongly agree that the Church is dependent on outside technology such as almost certainly hindering the water pumps. Where seasonal emergence of a truly indigenous All the problems of the surface water or sufficient rainfall church. has allowed small scale culti- 8. A church building on the missions station church vation to be introduced using crops mission station confirms to (the church building projects) which require minimum rain the local community that it are greatly magnified in a to yield a harvest; then it may be belongs to the missionary, appropriate to use this level of whether or not the local people nomadic community, almost indigenous agriculture to supple- have shared in the construc- certainly hindering the ment the traditional depen- tion costs. Everyone knows that emergence of a truly dence on . whatever the local professing Animal and human medi- Christian community gave is indigenous church. cine are certainly the inputs most nothing compared with the commonly appreciated by amount that the missionary provided, of course not a building, but people. It nomadic pastoralists. Where these are however much their local labor is said is not dependent on real estate but rela- dependent on the services of trained to have contributed. Everybody also tionships, especially amongst professionals from non-pastoralist peoples knows that it was the missionary’s nomadic rural peoples who have nothing nearly all programs seem to fail plan and project as they had no idea what besides their animals and relation- because of the unwillingness of the gov- a Christian church building looks ships. Why then do we continue to build ernment or project employed person- like. not only these burgeoning mission nel to serve in remote areas where their The missionary is bound to make stations but also the permanent churches help is most needed. The only hope of the church building of good solid con- which more than anything else frus- supplying effective if basic medical ser- struction to show that it is at least as trate the emergence of what the mission- vices to pastoral peoples will prob- important as any other building on his sta- ary really wants—the indigenous ably be through what is usually termed tion, but unfortunately, the more per- church? “bare foot primary health workers.” manent the construction the more he dem- 9. The difficulties brought about Veterinary medicine is particularly onstrates that this is a church for by material goods. This is not just a prob- vulnerable to the reluctance of settled people. This definitely confirms lem for Christian missionaries but “trained professionals” from non- what the nomadic pastoralists had perhaps even more so for the large inter- pastoralist backgrounds. The demand been thinking: Christianity is not for national or national governments as for their skills and the medicine they con- them. It is fine for people like farmers they attempt to “do good.” The fact that trol is often so high amongst herd and town dwellers who can stay in one missionaries in general have not made owners at times of outbreaks of disease place and go to the services each Sun- such big mistakes and costly failures in that the professionals unfortunately day wearing their best clothes. Many pas- their attempts at development work usually demonstrate their susceptibility to toralists in the bush have little idea can probably be attributed to the relative corruption. which day Sunday is and they certainly paucity of resources that Christians Education is usually the last compo- cannot plan to stay near to the new have to throw at the problems. Appropri- nent of development options that church building every week. For most of ate development must include the nomadic pastoralist care about as in most them in Africa, Islam seems a much indigenous church as the transformed and cases it is seen as taking away the more attractive and appropriate religion. It liberated Body of Christ in every young people who are needed in meeting

VOL 14:4 OCT.-DEC. 1997 190 The Challenge of Reaching Nomadic Pastoralists their perennial labor shortage. Only in with each herd owner proudly stating how a few relatively sophisticated situ- often he had given such help to less ations is education seen as a worth- fortunate clan members that it was surpris- while alternative that could bring ing to find that none of the several benefits to the brighter students who restocking projects that had been under- survived the local rudimentary pri- taken independently had utilized this mary education, to make it through the culturally well-established procedure. In remote boarding secondary each situation the project manager, a schools to the even more remote Western expert, had taken responsibility higher levels of education. The for deciding who should be given ani- advantages of sending their children mals, and how many they should receive. through the long process of educa- He may have formed a committee of a tion are seen not just as the potential few employees or local government offi- for remittances from future sala- cials but none of them even consulted ries but also for acquiring influence in the traditional community leaders or the a government departments and elders in none of these projects. policy making that can be expected to It would be very interesting for a long- yield benefits not onIy to the fam- term, well integrated development ily, but to all of the pastoral people. worker or missionary, who knew his pas- It is easy to see the negative toralist community well, to see how a effects of most development interven- matching offer of restocking within the Full Column tions attempted amongst nomadic clan system would be received. All the ad here pastoralists but one rather more hope- evidence acquired during field research by ful option may be mentioned— indicates that it might well be a great Adopt-APeople Clearinghouse. animal restocking. There are several incentive in reviewing the traditional examples where this has been restocking methods by “pumping the Same ad as in tried, normally on a small scale. The pump.” last issue on results have proven to be surpris- Tentmaking ingly positive, in spite of mistakes and (see page 147) mis-management. Dr. Malcolm Hunter did his The most significant discovery doctoral work in development for that I have observed in several sit- nomadic and pastoralist people and uations in both East and West Africa is also founded the Nomadic Research the traditional practice of restock- Program. He has served in Niger, ing within the particular pastoralists Benin, Burkina Faso and the USA with societies. In each case there was a SIM since 1963. requirement for those who had animals to share them with those who were without. Amongst the Borant of north- ern it was stated over and over again during field research that if a man lost all his animals through Photo here a disaster such as an outbreak of dis- of ease or enemy raids, he does not Malcolm Hunter have to ask others for help. His fellow clansmen will gather together to decide how many animals the unfortu- nate man needs to support his fam- ily, and how many they will give him. This tradition is so strong

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