Distributed Skills in Camel Herding. Cooperation in a Human-Animal Relationship in Somaliland

This article examines interspecies cooperation in camel herding Somaliland. It presents the case of a particular joint activity this task-scape: moving herd, by leading and driving it, from night-camp to daytime grazing area back. The analytical aim is clarify role that skills nonhuman agency play constitution cooperative human-camel relationships. On basis empirical data, collected multispecies ethnographic project following observing one herd herder closely, demonstrates how agency, as an individual capacity engage epistemological potential, manifests task. Cooperation made possible through sociality intersubjectivity, ability interpret respond each other, it depends on empathetic acknowledgement enabling or disabling powers counterpart, her his agency. Leading camels skilled practice requiring responding capacities partner. Hence, distributed – sense humans nonhumans are intertwined practice, they complement other.