cow culture

Rwandans tend to get dreamy-eyed when they talk about cows. Cows represent wealth and prosperity and life and everything that makes life worth living.

Yes, cows.

Funny, too, since Rwandan cows aren't worth much. By some measures, keeping them costs more than the milk they produce.

But they look cool. They have long horns, unlike boring American Jerseys.

And if you want a wife, you've got to give her parents a few cows and prove you're serious. More cows if her family's rich.

One of the main traditional dances involves raising your arms above your head (think "Y" in YMCA), like the cow's horns. Another popular dance move looks a lot like milking a cow to me, but I haven't had the guts to ask anyone if it's true.

Cows are everywhere. It's not uncommon to see boys guiding their cows through major streets of Kigali. (The grass in your front yard is fair game.)

And we can expect more cows. The government recently launched its "One Cow" policy -- one cow for every family. Cows to provide milk, fertilizer, and, well, pride of ownership.