Feb
Right. An Article About Gizzards.
Written by Shiko
This article is about gizzards. Mostly. Chicken gizzards.
I grew up with a tough father. You did not ride on his back or call him Dadee. He did not mistreat us. He just struck the fear of God in every spine that was roaming the house when he was around. What we accorded his presence was respect and beyond. Whenever he was home, mercifully not too often, we spent our time on the opposite side of the compound. You watched your step. You detoured whenever paths threatened to cross. You minded your decibels. Nobody cooked wrong. He bought you ugly school shoes and you wore them.
On any given day there were tens of chicken roaming the compound and often times he authorized the slaughter of one for dinner. And he ate the gizzard. He always ate the gizzard. That is just tradition but I did not know that then. As the baby of the house, I ate liver, wings, thighs or the business end. But my father always ate the gizzard. Every chicken day, I would wonder what the heck this gizzard was. It had a funny Kikuyu name. Kaiga Ngio.
I revered the gizzard. For a delicacy not too common, it was funny that I almost measured respect for my father with a gizzardstick. I did not see him as an ogre, but I imagined ogres too must eat gizzards. He was not a friendly man. Not even to children. It must have been the gizzards. Don’t give me that look. I was a child.
Relax. I did not spend my otherwise happy childhood mulling over the offending organs. I do not carry emotional scars borne of the excruciating lack of them. I’m not unable to sleep at night and I do not see dead gizzards. I’m not having a panic attack occasioned by this article. I do not have an irrational fear of animals with gizzards.
But at some young point I grew to associate the gizzard with…… a few mythical powers? Open sesame? Houdini? No. My father. A distant fearless man whose path you crossed at your own peril. Scratch that. Whose path you did not cross.
So you can imagine my mortification when as an older child I saw a pack of gizzards for sale in a supermarket. My childhood reverence of the mighty gizzard had been shattered. Gizzards were sold? Anyone could buy gizzards? I could buy gizzards? I could eat a gizzard? I could eat a whole pack of them?
The end.
From the archives: Who is your Chief?
From the nets: Gizzard Phobia
By The Spinster on Feb 15, 2011
Lol at “I do not see dead gizzards”!
I got the wings. For the longest time I’ve hated wings and I even gave my mum an earfull for the trauma that was my winged childhood. But I also didn’t become a serial killer because of it – I’m African!
By The Spinster on Feb 15, 2011
Which reminds me of the story of a Kenyan guy who got all locked up in himself for the longest time and almost had to go for therapy. Why? Because his mum wouldn’t let him do some stuff that the other kids were doing. Very un-African!
By Shiko on Feb 15, 2011
Spinster there’s this place I know that makes the best wings and gizzards ever. You and I need to share that meal to exorcise some. You know….. just in case the demons are lying low waiting for provocation to go on a killing spree.
By grace kay on Feb 15, 2011
lmao!!! i have laughed so hard i’m in tears ;D
By Viktor M on Feb 15, 2011
Give Caesar what belongs to him LMAO!
By Shiko on Feb 15, 2011
Grace, just don’t fall off a chair. At what point did my predicaments amuse you so?
Vik I’m thinking you mean the plate up there should be given to you? That can be arranged.
By Viktor M on Feb 15, 2011
Of course Shiko. Why lie, the food looks delicious.
By woolie on Feb 16, 2011
I opened the article the fist thing that hit me was the aroma coming from this beautiful plate of hot and spicy chicken gizzards on a bed of gorgeous coconut and raisin rice served with fresh salad and coriander – Pure Heaven
The tough diciplinarian Father brings back memories better forgotten – atleast for me
By Boyfulani on Feb 16, 2011
Those short, concise sentences you spit are rare.
Well, like the gizzards before time.
By Simone on Feb 17, 2011
whats a business end? surely not what am thinking?
By Shiko-Msa on Feb 17, 2011
Woolie a plate of delicious food so soon after the scones and tree top. Welcome.
Boyfulani thanks.
Simone its the end that lays the golden egg. Lol. Now what were you thinking?
By Wyndago on Feb 18, 2011
Tell you what, you can eat gizzards. Haha.
By Spinster on Feb 18, 2011
I had begun to notice a twitch in my left eye … Sooner is better!
By Shiko-Msa on Feb 18, 2011
Wyndago thanks for speaking to my inner child. *sniff sniff*
By nyambura on Feb 19, 2011
Ngai, now i’m hungry
By Cee on Feb 20, 2011
Wanjiku…..yaani am not sure which to wipe off, the tears of laughter or the saliva from seeing the food. Sasa now that you have mentioned a place that makes nice wings and gizzards, si u email the location. I love chicken like nonsense, was always forced to have the thigh…but instead of phobia I ended up with a philia that’s unthinkable for chicken……
By shekyn on Feb 21, 2011
This piece is refreshingly hilarious. HAHAHAHA.
By OtienoHongo on Feb 21, 2011
But are you now eating whole packets of gizzard? with every meal? and dreaming of gizzard juice?
By Shiko-Msa on Feb 22, 2011
Nyambura pole!
Cee wipe the saliva. We do not want you drooling. Lol. Ati philia. hehe
Shekyn glad to get you some laughs. I didn’t recognize you in here until I came to yours. Nice blog.
OtienoHongo I have a healthy relationship with gizzards. No phobias and no philias. Gizzard juice….. that could be something.
By Maua on Feb 22, 2011
I came here and just remembered I’m hungry, that dish. I’ll be back after I’m fed not with gizzards.
By mrsmwiti on Feb 24, 2011
Beautifully written.
My dad was soo much like your dad.
“I did not spend my otherwise happy childhood mulling over the offending organs.” Haha. I like that.
By Maua on Feb 25, 2011
When my mum first visited London and saw packs of gizzards, drumsticks etc, she talked about it for days. I’m sure the thought of buying her man a whole pack of gizzards and taking them home crossed her mind. Now I see I’m not the only one with such childhood memories.
Shiko, find a date in your busy schedule, for Aug I’ll have gizzards.
By Shiko-Msa on Feb 28, 2011
Mrs. Mwiti thanks.
Maua Aug it is. I have enough time to weave a red carpet from scratch! Karibu. And yes, we shall have a gizzardfest.
By savvykenya on Mar 1, 2011
Well, even at home, we save the gizzard for my dad!
By wanjiku ndungu on Mar 4, 2011
ha ha ha…now this is a great way to start my weekend, ama have me some gizzards !!
great article.
By Shiko-Msa on Mar 4, 2011
Savvy exactly. It’s an African thing. I think.
Wanjiku glad to do something towards your great weekend.To think of it I could buy a pack on my way home….
Thanks for the compliment.
By pitzevans on Mar 22, 2011
where i came from, we ate so many gizzards in childhood i learnt to detest them. you see, we used to keep broilers and the time of sale they had to be slaughtered at home and all the gizzards had to be left at home.
By Shiko-Msa on Apr 12, 2011
Pitzevans talk of exact opposites!
By Randomcarole on Apr 13, 2011
Oh! The kaiga ngio lol. Growing up alone, mum would always toa it and the liver for me before adding tomatoes and gravy to the chicken dish. I think it might have strengthened our bond lol.
xoxo! I have a nice kaiga ngio recipe, karibu Kampala and I will sort you out thoroughly
By Shiko-Msa on Apr 14, 2011
Carole si you inbox me that recipe!
I can relate with the liver though. Mum did exactly that – she would always toa it for last born me. God bless mothers.
By Katra on May 9, 2011
Shiko-Msa,quite a witty and funny piece. Your blog has been bookmarked
By Shiko-Msa on May 9, 2011
Hey Katra, thanks and most welcome any time.
By travellingthunder on Jul 14, 2011
This is inspired writing. First place I check into when I need a smile…
By Top 5 Kenyan Bloggers Who Inspire(d) Me « The Synctum on Jul 31, 2011
[...] she writes about things that are specifically Kenyan and sometimes.. Kikuyu. Like the gizzard story here, it stuck on my mind that [...]
By Mama on Jul 31, 2011
Hehehehehe this post is hilarious! Ati for ogres?! You can eat gizzards, Shiko.
Saw the link @wyndago’s
By Shiko on Aug 3, 2011
Travellingthunder thanks! I’m glad to give you smiles.
Mama you need to come back to blogosphere.
By Odhiambo on Sep 8, 2011
Talk of “organic” eating.