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Sukuma Ancient Milk Technology
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The Sukuma sustain an ancient technology of churning butter by beating the milk curd in a gourd in a rhythm. The technique is believed to be more than 5776 years in Sukumaland making a strong bond to the history of cattle raising of the Sukuma. The Lake Zone Investment Forum categorized Sukumaland’s Shinyanga as an agricultural and livestock development region of tradition with farming being predominantly subsistence. FAO identifies a condition known as 'lactose intolerance' as well as contamination and the subsequent destruction of milk to be the reasons to process milk.<ref name="Ref2" /> FAO also highlights milk processing as a mean of preservation as well as adding variety to the diet.<ref name="Ref2" /> Sukuma’s Processing of Milk Milking and Division of Labour Whereas milking is predominantly a men’s job in Sukumaland through history, the subsequent processing of milk is a women’s job. Ancient Sukuma used wooden jars called "nhunda" to hold the milk during milking. Incubating Fresh Milk (Clotting) in Sukumaland Traditionally, the Sukuma use pear gourds or clay pots to store and incubate fresh milk to get the milk curd. Clay pots are the preferred storage facilities in the cold season however to bring about a clotting spell. FAO describes the microbial conversion of the milk-sugar lactose to lactic acid to be the process behind the clotting of fresh milk.<ref name="Ref2" /> FAO also recommends the introduction of the appropriate bacteria as a starter culture to aid the clotting.<ref name="Ref2" /> Beating (Churning) the Milk Curd Churning (in Kisukuma "gusegesa") is a women's job in Sukumaland. It is actually a beating exercise. Sukuma women will beat the curd in a traditional pear gourd (in Kisukuma the "jisabo") in a specific style and rhythm causing a whirl motion of the curd continued until fat granules are present. Depending on the amount of milk curd to be churned, Sukuma women may hold the gourd on their laps or secured it in a sling (in Kisukuma "lusunda") during the churning process. The so well beaten mixture is drained to remove the buttermilk (in Kisukuma "masegese") from the fat granules. Washing the Butter After churning, the Sukuma women will wash (and then drain) the butter with clean water to considerably rid it of milk residuals before it gets stored in traditional pear gourds or clay pots. Cooking the Butter The Sukuma women know when it is time to cook their butter to get ghee and ghee residue. It depends on the workload on one hand. Sukuma women normally use clay pots to cook the butter. Butter is said to be done when ghee clarifies and the ghee residue turns brown. Sukuma women traditionally store their ghee in pear gourds or clay pots. Glass bottles are also being used to store ghee in these days. 
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