[微言]长跑与偷牛

author: 辉格

【2014-06-08】

@whigzhou: 肯尼亚长跑高手大多来自Kalenjin族，特别是Nandi部，据说该部传统上以偷牛为生，偷了牛当然跑得越快越远越好，常常要跑个上百英里，世界其他地方的偷牛者都有马骑，他们却全靠两条腿，总算练出来了 http://t.cn/Rv6PFic The Nandi people are pioneer athletes in Kenya.

@whigzhou: 这篇对Nandi社会有更多介绍 http://t.cn/Rv6hiKQ Cattle raiding was extremely important in the social life of the pastoral Kalenjin. The warrior age grade (youngest initiated age set) was responsible for defending cattle, and acquiring their own fortunes in captured cattle.

@whigzhou: 研究肯尼亚长跑成就的专家John Manners在Kenyas Running Tribe一文 http://t.cn/Rv6ZMbo 中对cattle raiding与长跑能力的关系作了分析，可参考

@whigzhou: “some of these peoples’ customs might have functioned indirectly as genetic selection mechanisms favoring strong runners. I am thinking specifically of the practice of cattle theft”

【后记】

没有马可能是个关键，全世界其他牧民都有马，除了非洲的，原因待考。