Conversation with Theogene the butcher

I met Theogene through a mutual friend and last week we got chatting about his work. At first Theogene was bemused and amused that I was interested, but I learned a bit about the meat trade in Rwanda.

I – “Do you have a butcher’s shop?
T – “I kill the animals, then people from the Congo take the meat and sell it in Bukavu”
I – “In English, we would call that a slaughterhouse”
T – “We do not have a house, we just kill the animals outside”
I – “And when it rains?”
T – “My job is very difficult then. I have to take the animals inside the house” (!!!)
I – “”So you cut the throat of the animals?”
T – “Yes, of course”
I – “ And what about the blood?
T – “It falls on the ground”

I explain the Scottish idea of black pudding, made mostly from blood. Theogene is very surprised. “In Rwanda only dogs eat blood”.

I – “So how did you become a butcher?”
T – “I needed to make money and some people near where I live were butchers”
I – “Did someone teach you how to do it?”
T – “No, I just watched others”
I – “But someone must have taught you how to kill an animal!?”
T - "No"