Bundles of Choice: Variety and the Creation and Manipulation of Kenyan Khat’s Value by Carrier is an article that describes how Khat (Miraa) is produced packaged and delivered internationally. Khat is produced in East Africa and part of the Arabian Peninsula, in these countries Khat is major contributor to social life. Khat let’s you be awake for longer periods of time, euphoric sensation, excitement, high self-esteem, and can also banish the feeling of hunger (Bali 1997). Chewing Khat makes social interaction less challenging, users have higher self-esteem and as Bali writes participants develop “ideas of greatness”. The value of Khat is not based on its side effects but on what is represents. Khat is a symbol of fertility and creative potential, receiving Khat is more than a gift it is a blessing (Carrier 2006). The value of Khat is complicated due to its vast varieties such as: the age of the tree (linkage to Meru ancestry), length of stems, different types of trees and packaging. These different categories and types of Khat are crucial for retailers since persons have loyalty to certain type of Khat. These categories are crucial to retailers but the value of social interaction and the connection to home cannot have a monetary value. Khat is illegal in Europe, Canada and the States but it still has a high demand from the diasporas in these places. For diasporas the value of Khat is based on memory and freshness; even though there is not much option and it is not the best Khat diasporas are willing to pay 3 pounds for “the taste of Africa”.
Retailers are able to manipulate the market of Khat to earn the most profits by mixing different types of leaves together. Khat is a lifestyle of the peoples of Eastern Africa, playing a dominant role in activities, once parted from Africa Somali, Kenya, and Yemen diasporas continue to chew as this is major component of their social life. I found interesting that even the wrapping use for Khat had become a national symbol of Kenya; it demonstrates its importance in this country and the diasporas. I fell that the chewing Khat is not completely different from ethnic dances, rituals, ethnic foods and other activities that link diasporas to their home, expect the fact that it is illegal. Participants of the diaspora perform all these practices in order to be integrated into that society. I fell that different ethnic groups have rituals, foods, and dances that we looked down upon; I feel that by looking down on these practices we as a society are making their practices illegal.
If Khat is less addictive than tobacco or alcohol, why is a less addictive drug considered illegal in Canada?
Does Khat and Marijuana hold the same meanings of a ‘taste of home’ ?
Hi Cat!
ReplyDeleteBouncing from your post and my post's question and your answer, I think your example of marijuana as a similar object is very interesting. Particularly when considering the political dimensions vis-a-vis the criminality of marijuana, and the debate in the UK described by Klein. I also think that this speaks somewhat to your question above, regarding legality in Canada, despite the less addictive quality. Clearly, this is a problematic area to generalize and postulate, but I would argue that there are certain prejudices at play, as you indicate above too.
Hey Cat,
ReplyDeleteMarijuana was definitely something that came to mind while reading the carriers article. Specifically with regards to the wide range of strands and qualities, I think that there are a lot of parallels. It is something too, thats value is altered across boarders, and is done so in reaction to accessibility. Here in Canada we have access to a wide variety of types, and in turn, i would say we have a knowledge base much wider than most. By this I mean we have all sorts of terminology and ways of differentiating, where as most people might just see marijuana as marijuana
Hey,
ReplyDeleteI laughed at the title hahaha
But seriously, ya, the whole marijuana and khat are hand in hand... I think back to Rastafarian culture... the idea of smoking weed brings them to a "higher place" it is socially relevant, consumed in gatherings and used as a means of becoming jovial etc. the list goes on and on.. this taste of home question, ya, to answer it informally. This is what we've been studying and discussing, there are all these things, just random stuff that conjure up emotions and memories of a place and time once lived. It's crazy to us (maybe) that shrubbery might do this in the case of khat and marijuana, but its all up to the person consuming it for what purpose and to what end does the substance deliver a sense of home? Sorry if that was "banterish" but this is so much easier if blurted out orally haha