Cattle are absolutely central to the Turkana way of life economically, socially, ritually, and aesthetically; cattle also feature prominently in Turkana oral tradition. The classification of cattle by color, hide patterns and horn shapes is reflected in the enormous vocabulary relating to cattle. Coloration and patterning of cow hides and the shapes of horns, artificially deformed by stone axhammers, are extremely important. Songs and dances celebrate cattle.
