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The Modern Maasai
Style Observer
Rachael Barrett
The Oscar-winning Out of Africa, Kuki Gallman's epic I Dreamed of Africa and the man-eating lions of Tsavo. much of the folklore and literature chronicling the West's fascination with Africa, the wild and the explorative adventure of safari is based on Kenya, the jewel of East Africa.
On a recent visit to Kenya's coast and interior with friends, a portion of my trip was dedicated to witnessing one of the world's great wonders, the annual migration of the wildebeest in an old Maasai stronghold, the Maasai Mara. Now operated as a government-sanctioned national park, despite the few Safari lodges and airstrips the landscape is still home to several Maasai villages and grazing grounds, and proved to be a fascinating ground from which I met and learned a great deal about the noble people.
Much of my information was gleaned from William (surnames are not common in Maasai culture), a knowledgeable and personable Maasai guide hired for the duration of our stay. William's story is captivating: the son of a great Maasai chief, William first became acquainted with Western culture through schooling, first introduced by the British during colonisation in the late 19th century and made free and compulsory at the primary level by the government in 2003 to combat Kenya's high illiteracy levels. A deft and sensible young man, he was earmarked for success in his village, acquiring as many as 120 cows shortly after reaching maturity, probably in his twenties. Cows are more valuable than money and the only currency or symbol of wealth in Maasai culture; they barter with them, live on their fresh milk and blood and use them as beasts of burden. Interestingly, beef is about the only thing the Maasai don't use their cattle for: because the animals are so valuable, especially as present times are economically difficult on the people, they are never killed for meat.
Despite his financial success, complemented by part-time work - <span style="font-weight: bold">at Safari lodges as a night watchman - a common first foray into the tourist industry for the Maasai </span>- William grew more familiar with Western ways and found that there were elements he admired and others in his own culture he grew to dislike. Now years later he is possibly the highest-ranked Maasai guide in any Safari camp in Africa, having risen through the ranks through intuition, quick learning and mastering English wholly through self-teaching and interacting with visitors. William remains a proud Maasai and despite now having travelled to the UK and Europe, has no desire to leave his home in the Mara. He actively campaigns in Maasai villages as an unpopular voice speaking against traditional rituals such as female circumcision and sexual promiscuity, as he fears that if these traditions continue modern diseases may pose a serious threat to the people's survival in years to come.
Eat, Drink and be Merry
On the first day our party learned that we were invited to witness a traditional Maasai wedding ceremony. Song and dance were the main rituals of the ceremony, with one dance being the traditional men-jumping competition: originally Maasai men did this in a line in front of eligible women by the village fire at night. The men who jumped the highest got the most women. After much coaxing we discovered while some Maasai now wear undergarments, underwear is a new element in Maasai culture, so while men jumped the ladies were given an eyeful! There was no food or drink in sight: unlike western practice, Maasai celebrations do not revolve around food or eating. However, alcohol does exist, there are two home brews in existence, but the age of consent is 35 and then only with approval from village elders. In Maasai culture marriage has nothing to do with romantic notions of love or even lust, they are strictly business arrangements to facilitate the production of children. More children mean more hands to rear cattle. All the children at the ceremony sat still on their best behaviour under the sharp eyes of an elder - William explained that children are considered communal village property, and allowed to roam free within the village cared for by all adults. On learning about the Maasai sexual practices, we discovered that the woman's husband might not always father children so this concept of communal rearing makes more sense.
Children at the wedding, note the elder's shoes.
Maasai culture divides the people into age groups, so if a travelling male approaches a strange village looking for somewhere to rest his head at night, he will ask an elder to direct him to the house of someone in his age group, and if agreed, he can stay the night and sleep with the wife of the house, leaving his spear standing next to the door as a sign that no other man is to enter at the moment. This behaviour has existed among the Maasai for centuries, and as they proudly do not "mix" with other tribes and races (there are only a few rare occurrences) the Maasai have been impervious to most modern sexual diseases, including Africa's dreaded HIV/AIDS. This is why some modern Maasai, including William, are hoping to change the culture, as just one case of disease would spread like wildfire from village to village.
The Maasai traditional robes, beads and body jewellery are easily recognised as symbolic of African tribal wear. Modern Maasai also love digital watches, as jewellery not as timepieces, and older males will wear brogues. The Maasai as a people appreciate tourism and work within its boundaries, but over the years William tells of people being hurt and surprised to find their own photographs in Western magazines or books that turn up at the lodges.
Creation and Maasai Pride
Hunting was banned in Kenya in 1977, but the Maasai traditionally never relied on wild animals for meat as they have always lived in symbiosis with the animals, only hunting for decorative purposes, clothing or to protect their cattle. Maasai villages suddenly looked tiny and clumped together, in what appeared to be the driest rocky portion of the plains below.
Women singing at the wedding.
At this point the conversation once again turned to the Maasai people and their relationship with the land, the government and the obsession with cattle.
This Maasai creation story followed: there was once an original Maasai with a family and one slave of another tribe with his family living in a house. At that time they hunted for food and for some reason the animals had been disappearing, leaving little food behind for the Maasai's family. The Maasai followed the servant's instructions and suddenly cattle started floating down from heaven; astonished he headed back toward the house while the cattle kept spiralling down. Angrily the Maasai turned out the servant, sending him off the plains, and the Maasai believe that these people formed one of the other earliest tribes found in Africa, the Hadzabe, a tribe of hunter gatherers regarded by the scientific community as having the oldest genetic lineage of all peoples on earth.
The Maasai refuse to subject themselves to scientific testing or trials so their position in this lineage is unclear. From this story the notion of cattle as the source of life makes sense, as this gift established the Maasai as God's chosen people, allowed to command their own destiny by assuring constant nourishment without needing to rely on external sources of food. Cows are used to purchase brides, cars and even land: most Safari lodge lands are leased from Maasai in the Mara, and few of them like to trade in any other currency. Illiteracy rates are high, as most Maasai initially refused to send their children to English schools, viewing both the British and the local government suspiciously.
Maasai men - note the rank and difference in age based on garb and jewellery, the one in the tartan is a more senior warrior. (All photos courtesy of Rachael Barrett)
In the urban centres, the Maasai there mostly had beaded jewellery for sale, some were in plainclothes tending bar, the elongated earlobes giving away their tribal roots. The Maasai we encountered viewed the other tribes as too submissive, and noted the high level of poverty and illiteracy in the rest of Kenya a moot point to see if the others had really benefited from early integration. Viewing the variety of traditional garb seen in the Mara and beyond, as well as the proud standoffish nature typical of Maasai men, it isn't difficult to see why tensions would exist. The Maasai are integrating slowly to Western culture, and keen to preserve their traditions, but hopefully with modern-minded men such as William championing to preserve his people, they can find a way to balance history with survival in the modern world.
Interesting facts
. Toothbrushes and deodorant are shunned for leaves of wild mint
. Women prefer to avoid sanitary products during menstruation, and remove themselves from the community during the period.
. Girls marry from as young as nine years and are deemed ready to bear children immediately on marriage. Men take several wives as a sign of wealth, and can continue to do so for as long as they are able to produce children.
. There is no word in Maasai culture for love.
. Boys are sent to tend cattle from as young as seven years old.
. After years of tending flock, the Maasai have perfected a way to sleep standing up, leaning their body weight on their spears.
. Beads used to be made of stone or shell, but the bright colours for which they are known were introduced into the Maasai culture through trade with other tribes and peoples in post-colonial times.
. Babies are reared on a mixture of cow's blood and milk, with the cows given an incision to let blood flow from time to time without harming them.
Style Observer
Rachael Barrett
The Oscar-winning Out of Africa, Kuki Gallman's epic I Dreamed of Africa and the man-eating lions of Tsavo. much of the folklore and literature chronicling the West's fascination with Africa, the wild and the explorative adventure of safari is based on Kenya, the jewel of East Africa.
On a recent visit to Kenya's coast and interior with friends, a portion of my trip was dedicated to witnessing one of the world's great wonders, the annual migration of the wildebeest in an old Maasai stronghold, the Maasai Mara. Now operated as a government-sanctioned national park, despite the few Safari lodges and airstrips the landscape is still home to several Maasai villages and grazing grounds, and proved to be a fascinating ground from which I met and learned a great deal about the noble people.
Much of my information was gleaned from William (surnames are not common in Maasai culture), a knowledgeable and personable Maasai guide hired for the duration of our stay. William's story is captivating: the son of a great Maasai chief, William first became acquainted with Western culture through schooling, first introduced by the British during colonisation in the late 19th century and made free and compulsory at the primary level by the government in 2003 to combat Kenya's high illiteracy levels. A deft and sensible young man, he was earmarked for success in his village, acquiring as many as 120 cows shortly after reaching maturity, probably in his twenties. Cows are more valuable than money and the only currency or symbol of wealth in Maasai culture; they barter with them, live on their fresh milk and blood and use them as beasts of burden. Interestingly, beef is about the only thing the Maasai don't use their cattle for: because the animals are so valuable, especially as present times are economically difficult on the people, they are never killed for meat.
Despite his financial success, complemented by part-time work - <span style="font-weight: bold">at Safari lodges as a night watchman - a common first foray into the tourist industry for the Maasai </span>- William grew more familiar with Western ways and found that there were elements he admired and others in his own culture he grew to dislike. Now years later he is possibly the highest-ranked Maasai guide in any Safari camp in Africa, having risen through the ranks through intuition, quick learning and mastering English wholly through self-teaching and interacting with visitors. William remains a proud Maasai and despite now having travelled to the UK and Europe, has no desire to leave his home in the Mara. He actively campaigns in Maasai villages as an unpopular voice speaking against traditional rituals such as female circumcision and sexual promiscuity, as he fears that if these traditions continue modern diseases may pose a serious threat to the people's survival in years to come.
Eat, Drink and be Merry
On the first day our party learned that we were invited to witness a traditional Maasai wedding ceremony. Song and dance were the main rituals of the ceremony, with one dance being the traditional men-jumping competition: originally Maasai men did this in a line in front of eligible women by the village fire at night. The men who jumped the highest got the most women. After much coaxing we discovered while some Maasai now wear undergarments, underwear is a new element in Maasai culture, so while men jumped the ladies were given an eyeful! There was no food or drink in sight: unlike western practice, Maasai celebrations do not revolve around food or eating. However, alcohol does exist, there are two home brews in existence, but the age of consent is 35 and then only with approval from village elders. In Maasai culture marriage has nothing to do with romantic notions of love or even lust, they are strictly business arrangements to facilitate the production of children. More children mean more hands to rear cattle. All the children at the ceremony sat still on their best behaviour under the sharp eyes of an elder - William explained that children are considered communal village property, and allowed to roam free within the village cared for by all adults. On learning about the Maasai sexual practices, we discovered that the woman's husband might not always father children so this concept of communal rearing makes more sense.
Children at the wedding, note the elder's shoes.
Maasai culture divides the people into age groups, so if a travelling male approaches a strange village looking for somewhere to rest his head at night, he will ask an elder to direct him to the house of someone in his age group, and if agreed, he can stay the night and sleep with the wife of the house, leaving his spear standing next to the door as a sign that no other man is to enter at the moment. This behaviour has existed among the Maasai for centuries, and as they proudly do not "mix" with other tribes and races (there are only a few rare occurrences) the Maasai have been impervious to most modern sexual diseases, including Africa's dreaded HIV/AIDS. This is why some modern Maasai, including William, are hoping to change the culture, as just one case of disease would spread like wildfire from village to village.
The Maasai traditional robes, beads and body jewellery are easily recognised as symbolic of African tribal wear. Modern Maasai also love digital watches, as jewellery not as timepieces, and older males will wear brogues. The Maasai as a people appreciate tourism and work within its boundaries, but over the years William tells of people being hurt and surprised to find their own photographs in Western magazines or books that turn up at the lodges.
Creation and Maasai Pride
Hunting was banned in Kenya in 1977, but the Maasai traditionally never relied on wild animals for meat as they have always lived in symbiosis with the animals, only hunting for decorative purposes, clothing or to protect their cattle. Maasai villages suddenly looked tiny and clumped together, in what appeared to be the driest rocky portion of the plains below.
Women singing at the wedding.
At this point the conversation once again turned to the Maasai people and their relationship with the land, the government and the obsession with cattle.
This Maasai creation story followed: there was once an original Maasai with a family and one slave of another tribe with his family living in a house. At that time they hunted for food and for some reason the animals had been disappearing, leaving little food behind for the Maasai's family. The Maasai followed the servant's instructions and suddenly cattle started floating down from heaven; astonished he headed back toward the house while the cattle kept spiralling down. Angrily the Maasai turned out the servant, sending him off the plains, and the Maasai believe that these people formed one of the other earliest tribes found in Africa, the Hadzabe, a tribe of hunter gatherers regarded by the scientific community as having the oldest genetic lineage of all peoples on earth.
The Maasai refuse to subject themselves to scientific testing or trials so their position in this lineage is unclear. From this story the notion of cattle as the source of life makes sense, as this gift established the Maasai as God's chosen people, allowed to command their own destiny by assuring constant nourishment without needing to rely on external sources of food. Cows are used to purchase brides, cars and even land: most Safari lodge lands are leased from Maasai in the Mara, and few of them like to trade in any other currency. Illiteracy rates are high, as most Maasai initially refused to send their children to English schools, viewing both the British and the local government suspiciously.
Maasai men - note the rank and difference in age based on garb and jewellery, the one in the tartan is a more senior warrior. (All photos courtesy of Rachael Barrett)
In the urban centres, the Maasai there mostly had beaded jewellery for sale, some were in plainclothes tending bar, the elongated earlobes giving away their tribal roots. The Maasai we encountered viewed the other tribes as too submissive, and noted the high level of poverty and illiteracy in the rest of Kenya a moot point to see if the others had really benefited from early integration. Viewing the variety of traditional garb seen in the Mara and beyond, as well as the proud standoffish nature typical of Maasai men, it isn't difficult to see why tensions would exist. The Maasai are integrating slowly to Western culture, and keen to preserve their traditions, but hopefully with modern-minded men such as William championing to preserve his people, they can find a way to balance history with survival in the modern world.
Interesting facts
. Toothbrushes and deodorant are shunned for leaves of wild mint
. Women prefer to avoid sanitary products during menstruation, and remove themselves from the community during the period.
. Girls marry from as young as nine years and are deemed ready to bear children immediately on marriage. Men take several wives as a sign of wealth, and can continue to do so for as long as they are able to produce children.
. There is no word in Maasai culture for love.
. Boys are sent to tend cattle from as young as seven years old.
. After years of tending flock, the Maasai have perfected a way to sleep standing up, leaning their body weight on their spears.
. Beads used to be made of stone or shell, but the bright colours for which they are known were introduced into the Maasai culture through trade with other tribes and peoples in post-colonial times.
. Babies are reared on a mixture of cow's blood and milk, with the cows given an incision to let blood flow from time to time without harming them.
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