Why the Gerenuk Prays to Nkai

The Gerenuk is a strange antelope with a very long neck that stands on its hind legs to eat from tall bushes, often looking as if it is reaching for the sky. The Samburu tell a story that in the beginning, the Gerenuk was a man who was a very devout but poor herder. His cattle were all killed by a lion. In his grief, he did not curse Nkai, but instead went into the bush and spent all his days standing and praying, reaching his hands to the heavens and begging Nkai for a sign. Nkai, moved by his unwavering faith, decided to grant him a new life. He transformed the man into a Gerenuk. He gave him a long neck so he could always be reaching towards the sky, and the ability to stand on two legs so he could always be in a position of prayer. The Gerenuk no longer needed cattle, for it could eat from the bushes that no other grazer could reach. The Samburu see the Gerenuk's unique posture not just as a feeding strategy, but as a sign of eternal prayer and a symbol of unwavering faith in Nkai.