Masai, The Unique Tribe of Africa

If you have visited the national parks of Tanzania and Kenya then you must have already observed the indigenous Masai people of the region. Masai is a unique and fiercely independent tribe which has been able to maintain their culture and customs to the most extent. They inhabit the semi-arid rift valley of Kenya and Tanzania and most of them have settlements within the Serengeti and Masai Mara national parks. The economic life of Masai depends almost entirely on their cattle, throughout their history, they have avoided cultivating land and accepting the cash economy.

Traditionally the Masai people look down on the farmers who according to their thinking make the land useless for grazing. In the Masai culture the cattle is the only measure to calculate the wealth and social status of a person, the larger the herd a person have the more powerful and influential he will be within the tribe.

Many tour operators in Kenya and Tanzania can arrange a tour to the Masai settlements in the valley. Most tourists prefer taking a cheap flight to Nairobi as it provides the tourists with a vacation spot that is comparably cheaper than the neighboring Tanzania. Although the culture of Masai people has gone through some minor changes their strong social traditions have remained intact. The only minor change that has been accepted into some parts of the community is the limited cultivation of land. The Masai has a long martial history and a male is foremost a warrior while his other responsibilities being of secondary significance.

Most of them stand 6 feet tall with a strong built, they have beaded hairs, wear a red blanket and carry a club or a spear. The young boys of Masai are sent to the settlements far away from the village to guard the cattle for more than 6 years, this is the part of their training as they transform into trained warriors upon their return to the settlement. The women of Masai are mostly responsible for the domestic tasks like milking the cows, taking care of the children and even building the houses which are made out of the mud.

Masai’s lifestyle is in a real danger because of the ever reducing size of the grazing lands in the region and the laws made to protect the wildlife of the national parks in which the Masai lives. The symbol of manhood in the Masai culture is to kill a lion, which is a crime according to the wildlife rules but at the same time, the ever-increasing number of lions are threatening the cattle of the Masai people. This has resulted in an increasing number of Masai people leaving their traditional lifestyle and trying to make a living through other means like farming. The Masai are trying politically to raise their voices against this policy and the Masai Association is their biggest forum. Masai is very friendly towards the tourists so visiting one of their settlements will be an awesome experience.