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» Ship of Fools   » Special interest discussion   » Ecclesiantics   » Llamas at Epiphany

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Source: (consider it) Thread: Llamas at Epiphany
leo
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# 1458

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A church near me has a procession with real-live lamas to mark Epiphany.

Does this happen anywhere else?

What' the point of it?

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My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/
My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com

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Nick Tamen

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# 15164

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My hunch is that it’s the closest they could get to camels. Camel understudies, as it were.

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The first thing God says to Moses is, "Take off your shoes." We are on holy ground. Hard to believe, but the truest thing I know. — Anne Lamott

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Curiosity killed ...

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Peruvian nativity sets have llamas.

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Baptist Trainfan
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# 15128

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quote:
Originally posted by Nick Tamen:
My hunch is that it’s the closest they could get to camels. Camel understudies, as it were.

Perhaps the humps will grow later?
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Enoch
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# 14322

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Is there any folk memory of a small deputation of them making a reverse crossing of the Bering Strait East to West, sometime around 2,017 years ago?

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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson

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Og, King of Bashan

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Apparently they are of the same subfamily as camels? You can see it in their respective faces.

Granted, I am actually on the correct landmass, but I know that people actually raise llamas and alpacas in these parts. Camels? Not so much. I would bet it is much easier to find a llama for hire than a camel for hire.

Plus, who doesn't like a llama? I always spend a little extra time checking them out at the zoo myself...

[ 28. December 2017, 18:23: Message edited by: Og, King of Bashan ]

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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy

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Nick Tamen

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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
quote:
Originally posted by Nick Tamen:
My hunch is that it’s the closest they could get to camels. Camel understudies, as it were.

Perhaps the humps will grow later?
One can always hope.

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The first thing God says to Moses is, "Take off your shoes." We are on holy ground. Hard to believe, but the truest thing I know. — Anne Lamott

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Bishops Finger
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They (llamas, alpacas etc.) do seem to be rather more engaging animals than camels, and, yes, they are not unknown in Ukland - there are some on a farm not very far from me.

BTW, I received an Oxfam Christmas card which loudly proclaims on the front 'Fa La La La La La La Llama', and depicts a cartoon version of one of these attractive beasties dutifully bearing gifts...

IJ

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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Zappa
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We had Superman visiting the baby Jesus at the Christmas Eve Crib Mass once, so hey, whatever

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and mayhap this too: http://broken-moments.blogspot.co.nz/

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Bishops Finger
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I've never actually met a llama, but I'm told that they are gentle, polite, and rather aloof people, as far as Uman Beans are concerned.

I should think they would make rather pleasant neighbours.

IJ

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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The Scrumpmeister
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quote:
Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
I've never actually met a llama, but I'm told that they are gentle, polite, and rather aloof people, as far as Uman Beans are concerned.

I should think they would make rather pleasant neighbours.

IJ

I'm told that they spit but I refuse to believe it.

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If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved. - St John of Saint-Denis

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Bishops Finger
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No, no - that's camels. Llamas are much more civilised.

IJ

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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Bishops Finger
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O, all right - they do occasionally spit, but very often it's to show that they like you, and are accepting you as part of their family.

[Roll Eyes]

Camels, OTOH, are just awkward, cross-grained bu**ers.....

IJ

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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Og, King of Bashan

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quote:
Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
I've never actually met a llama, but I'm told that they are gentle, polite, and rather aloof people, as far as Uman Beans are concerned.

I should think they would make rather pleasant neighbours.

IJ

At this risk of this getting more heavenly than it already is, I do have vivid memories from a rather scary memory from a childhood hike when we encountered a woman walking her llama on a trail. The llama took one look at our border collie and took off into the woods. The problem was that the woman walking the llama was apparently not particularly familiar with how you handle livestock (at least according to my father, who grew up in Texas ranch country,) and had the llama's leash tied around her waist, meaning that when the llama took off, she was dragged behind it, probably about 20 or 30 yards, over more than a few downed trees. She managed to escape with just a few scrapes, but it was a pretty terrifying scene for a kid to witness, and she was naturally pretty shaken up. So while they do seem to be rather docile (the ones at our zoo are separated from guests by little more than a chain link fence), standard safety precautions are still advisable.

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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy

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Bishops Finger
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Well, yes - they are, after all, a fair size, at up to 5'9" tall, and 300-400 lbs in weight.

The old TV show advice still stands - never work with children and animals!

[Big Grin]

IJ

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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)

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Gee D
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# 13815

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A one l lama, he's a priest
A two ll llama, it's a beast
But I will bet
A silk pyjama
There's no such thing as a three lll lllama.

But Thurber added the postscript that there were three-alarmer fires. Even he'd be pushing it to find any connection between llamas and any biblical reference, let alone the Nativity.

[ 28. December 2017, 21:52: Message edited by: Gee D ]

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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

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Gill H

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Ogden Nash, not Thurber.

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- Lyda Rose

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Gee D
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quote:
Originally posted by Gill H:
Ogden Nash, not Thurber.

Thanks. I'm in holiday mode and my mind must be too switched off.

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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

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Sober Preacher's Kid

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We've had Moose in our nativity scenes at home, so why not? May not have been in Middle East at the time, but had OLSJC chosen to be born on this side the Pond, no doubt there would have been llamas and moose in attendence.

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Pigwidgeon

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We had some very um, "friendly" goats one year. (And I don't mean "friendly" like in the song.)
[Big Grin]

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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf

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Baptist Trainfan
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I saw some llamas about half an hour ago. From a distance of 100 yards, they appeared to be docile.

(Since you're asking, it was at a local Farm Shop - and they're for petting, not for meat!)

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Aravis
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# 13824

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I once heard a mother llama humming loudly to her baby on a quiet day at Bristol Zoo. It wasn't exactly tuneful but she was varying the pitch. I don't know if this is a common occurrence but it was lovely to observe.
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Pigwidgeon

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quote:
Originally posted by Aravis:
I once heard a mother llama humming loudly to her baby on a quiet day at Bristol Zoo. It wasn't exactly tuneful but she was varying the pitch. I don't know if this is a common occurrence but it was lovely to observe.

Many years ago the speaker at a college graduation based his whole talk on the humming of llamas, with audio recordings. I honestly don't remember if he mentioned mothers humming to their babies. (When he started out, I assumed he was talking about the chanting of lamas and was quite surprised when I realized he was talking about llamas.)

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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf

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Og, King of Bashan

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The new children's classic Llama Llama Red Pajama has the titular Llama, on one page, humming a tune. I had no idea this was based on natural fact, and simply wrote it off as a easy rhyme for "Mama says she'll be up soon". I must bore my wife with this fascinating-to-me fact tonight at story time...

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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy

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Pigwidgeon

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I'd hoped to find a Youtube video of llamas humming, but there are too many to choose just one. Just go to Youtube and type in "llamas humming" if you really want to hear this.
[Smile]

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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf

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mousethief

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# 953

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quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:
The new children's classic Llama Llama Red Pajama has the titular Llama, on one page, humming a tune. I had no idea this was based on natural fact, and simply wrote it off as a easy rhyme for "Mama says she'll be up soon". I must bore my wife with this fascinating-to-me fact tonight at story time...

A fun reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama. Not what you'd expect.

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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...

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Albertus
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I think Linda Snell must have got involved. Look out for them at St Stephen's, Ambridge, next week.

[ 31. December 2017, 16:16: Message edited by: Albertus ]

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My beard is a testament to my masculinity and virility, and demonstrates that I am a real man. Trouble is, bits of quiche sometimes get caught in it.

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