The only animal that all Nandi, like most East African tribes, hold in respect or fear is the hyena, which animal was once aptly described by Sir A. Hardinge as the living mausoleum of their dead. It is true that the Nandi will kill or wound a hyena if it is on nobody’s land, but they will not touch him if he prowls round their houses. . . . After a death has occurred the body is taken away at nightfall a few hundred yards to the west of the hut, towards the setting sun, and placed on the ground. . . . The body is visited on the second day after death to see if the hyenas have eaten it. If it is found that they have not been near the spot, a goat is killed and the meat is placed on and near the corpse to attract their attention. Except with the Tungo clan, the body is also turned over on the other side. Should the hyenas still not come it is understood that the deceased has been killed by witchcraft, and the relations proceed to a medicine man to ascertain who is responsible for the death.¹

¹Hollis, A.C.n/an/an/an/a, , 7, 70, 71 (Clarendon Press. By permission).