Zimbabwe – ZW004B
Composition: Termite Mound Earth
Colour: Red
Shape: Raw
Some people in the Zimbabwean village of Takaruza eat the local earth known as Muchenje. It comes from termite mounds. People say that this earth is sweet, compared to the earth outside of the mounds. It has clay, sand, probably limestone, a bit of topsoil, and little rocks in it. Apart of eating the earth is used for making bricks for construction. We exchanged Muchenje for the samples from the Museum of Edible Earth coming from other countries. This sample was given to us by Esther Mutobaya, and collected by her son next to the river.
The Museum of Edible Earth has gone on a research trip in Zimbabwe at the Animal Farm Artist Residency. By creating a space that offers various types of exchanges through international activities and events, the Animal Farm Art Residency in Zimbabwe facilitates a series of developments aimed to foster creative practice connected with contemporary peers all around the world. It is a collaborative resolute to the cultural enhancement of the rural community. Inspired and influenced by the power of creativity, the residency programme endeavors to provide a stage for growth and development. We have warmly been hosting there by Tanyse Van Vuuren and Admire Kamudzengerere.
To discover more about the Animal Farm Artist Residency, connect to their online platform: http://animalfarmresidence.co.zw/
Is it the earth shitted out by ants?
This tastes like peat. It is too earthy. Like rotten leaves
This is disgusting
Anca Gillialand: Does it have a taste? Reminds me red clay from Georgia US
Yordan Mominski: This tastes like dirt and dust. Aftertaste
Mikaele Martinez: Mild
Really crunchy. Pretty hard
Organic compost
Dark roasted coffee
I like the texture because it is sandy, but not inhospitably hard
It reminds of a coarse sugar
Compost. The texture is hard to chew on. Gritty.
Lilit: Knowing that ants processed it make me feel better to eat it, because I am gaining from it.
Really tastes like soil, earth with roots growing in. I can taste “life” was working its way through here before.
Pretty chunky, a bit too chunky top continue eating.
Pregnant women like the earthy taste of this Muchenje Clay. Some say it has a higher iron content too.
Thank you a lot for sharing this! Do you eat Muchenje yourself?
Crunchy and smooth at a second moment: the feeling of dissolving and melting in the mouth, as pure. little roasted cocoa beans. Also the structure breaking in small granules as a coffee powder.
River water taste
It is light
It is not dense, it is loose
Sticky
Crunchy, very crunchy
Does it wear away your teeth?
A bit bitter
Not creamy
Dusty
Some fine sand content, no-salty.