In “Eating Christmas in the Kalahari” Richard Borshay Lee introduces us to the “Christmas Ox” custom of the !Kung Bushman in the Kalahari Desert. Lee had been studying the hunting and gathering economy of the !Kung. During his study, Lee strayed from sharing food with the !Kung, for it would interfere with their food-gathering activities. "While liberal handouts of tobacco and medical supplies were appreciated, they were scarcely adequate to erase the glaring disparity in wealth between the anthropologist who maintained a two month inventory of canned goods, and the Bushmen, who rarely had a day's supply of food on hand" (Lee 1969: 31). Unhappy with this disparity in wealth and food, the Bushmen would call Lee stingy and hard of heart. To make up for his supposed stinginess, Lee thought to take part in the traditional purchase of a Christmas Ox. …show more content…
The largest, youngest, ox with a thick layer of fat underneath their hide is the most sought after for it most likely will feed the entire community. Lee purchased a black ox, which he believed to be the largest and fattest (weighing approximately 1,200 pounds). After confidently purchasing this ox, he returned to the village where everyone has already heard that “whitey” had purchased the ox. Everyone within !Kung were appalled that he had bought an ox who was surely a “bag of bones”, which in turn would mean a hungry Christmas dinner for all. The days following, Lee was belittled for his choice. Lee, however disappointed by his mistake, still attended Christmas dinner, only to find that when they cut open the chest of the ox, there was a thick layer of white fat almost two inches