ABSTRACT
One day while hiking back to Kuri-Kuri from a visit to some families living in the forest, I met a group of women returning from a shopping trip in Don Dol. After we went through the rather lengthy greeting that is customary in Maa, we chatted about our days. One of the women explained that she was bringing back ele cani for a sick old woman back home. In that context, ele cani means “this traditional herbal medicine,” so I expected her to reach under her cloak and pull out a handful of roots or bark. Instead, she showed me a bottle of Coca-Cola. Given that Coke consists of water, sugar, and caffeine, it probably did make the old woman feel a little better.
