No one is more loyal than your camel.
Since the beginning of time, the camel has been inextricably tied to the fate of the people of the lowlands of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti. If you are offered a camel as a form of payment, you must take it as it is invaluable. We can gain insight on the camel’s significance to these nomadic peoples through the wide-ranging proverbs and learnings that exist surrounding it. Below are a few from the Afar people:
“A female camel provides more milk than a goat.”
Meaning: More is expected from someone who produces more.
“A young camel can pass under a tree in the morning, but cannot pass under the same tree at night.”
Meaning: Don’t overlook opportunities that may seem insignificant at first.
“Camels never pass a day without being milked, even if there are a lot of guests, and never stay inside all day without grazing, even if there is a quarrel.”
Meaning: One cannot escape fate.
“For a man without kin, the camel is his kin. For a man with kin, the camel is just another animal - because if he loses his camel, he can get another from his kin.”
Meaning: Kinship is the source of security; Kinship is more valuable than property.