The Masai in Tanzania

The Masai are very visible in Tanzania.  They are cattle owners much like the Fulas in The Gambia. But unlike the Fulas, the Masai actually do herd the cattle rather than allow them to be free range.  The Masai also really do wear the brightly colored Masai blankets that you have probably seen in pictures of Africa. As we drove through the countryside you could see them taking their herds of cattle to the water holes, wearing their blankets and holding a long pole used in herding. One day we passed some young men who had recently gone through the manhood rites and stopped for a photo op. The young men are taken away by the elders and are taught the ways of men and are also circumcised. If the young man shows pain or cries out during the circumcision, it brings shame upon his family.  This is also true of the manhood rites in The Gambia. However for the Masai, the newly initiated young men must wear black robes and white face paint for 3 months after they finish their manhood rites. It is an interesting difference when their clothing is usually so colorful.

The second park we went to, Nogorongoro Crater is national conservancy.  No one can hunt the animals but herding is allowed on the within the park.  So in addition to all of the wild animals there were also herds of cattle.  We paid an entrance fee to go into a Masai village and it was an eye opening experience.  First they met us wearing all of their finery and sang and danced. You can see from the background of the pictures that the country is rather harsh. Since they are herders they are plagued by flies.  If you look at the little girl hanging onto her mother in picture,  you can see all of the flies that are crawling on her.

The women create elaborate items from bead work the results of which you can see in the pictures.

The women are also the ones who build the homes.  The next 2 pictures are of a woman hard at work on her new home.  She created a framework of sticks and then is covering it with mud and cow dung.  (probably part of the reason for all the flies)

The picture below is a view from the outside view showing the Masai women hanging around with homes in the background.  They are sitting the way that I have seen women sitting in The Gambia -- with their legs straight out and their bodies at right angles to their legs.  I could do that for about 3 seconds before I would quit and yet they are quite comfortable.

As part of our visit an English speaking Masai man took us into his home.  He is taller than I am but  the houses are all built less than an adult's height so I had to stoop.  He described the home as having 3 rooms and a main area.  One room  was for sticks, one room was for the children to sleep and the other area was for him and his wife to sleep. The main area was for cooking and congregating and had the only window, a round hole about the size of a softball.

 This is the view of the window.  

His sleeping area

The chidren's sleeping area

The kitchen.  The window is distorted in the picture, it is much smaller than that.

Here is another outside view of houses to show what the entrance looks like.  I had to stoop to go in and the entrance was full of flies.

After showing us his house he brought us to his family's part of the "market" which had things for sale that his wife had created. I felt embarrassed because I had left my money in the car so I could not buy anything.

The last stop on our trip was a visit to the school.  The children were peeking out the door awaiting our arrival but when they saw us coming they dashed to their seats and sang a welcoming song.  I don't thing school is actually in session in August, but they were requesting donations for their school.  As you can see from the pictures they definitely need the money. There is plastic sheeting in the ceiling but unfortunately as you can see there is also a big hole in the ceiling. Older children actually go to government boarding school at the government expense.  

What was written on the blackboard. Going to school in Africa makes American classrooms look like palaces.

It is interesting to see how they live.  Most of their net worth is on the hoof and the homes are relatively temporary.  As you can see not much is required to pull up stakes and move if the water holes dry up. Water is a precious resource. There are no wells or cisterns in their village, so washing clothes and bathing is done in the same water holes their cattle use. I often wonder about the accident of birth gives some so much and others so little. Hopefully I will come home with a real appreciation of all that I have.