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The Masai has a peculiar way of life, beliefs and sets of customs that developed for centuries. A culture that survived and evolved with minor external influences and it may be lacking monumental edifices, grandiose history or populations that stretches across entire continents but in their own unique way, the Masai built a civilization with customs and traditions unique to their environment. Archeologists believe that what makes up humanity nowadays started in the regions where Kenya, Tanzania and in particular where the Masais live.
In the last two hundred years, the world of the Masai started to adopt to the introduction of foreign cultures such as the great influences of the years under British colonial rule. For the white people who came and saw the land of the Masai, what they saw were not the people but the potential of the land, a new horizon to explore and exploit.
The Masai, described as a free and nomadic people started to lose their freedom, the ability to control their land and destiny as Western rules were forcibly imposed on the simple but proud people. Fact is, much of the world that the Masai explored and lived in as a nomadic tribe started to shrink and territories that once was theirs without any Western introduced concept of paper proof land ownership are all gone, absorbed by large land owners or has been placed as protected land.
The Masai is a strictly patriarchal society where the boys must enter stages of acceptance and recognition, if the men would pass certain rituals and customs. The men are born to become warriors and no Masai man regardless of financial stature can be defined or classified into something else other than being a warrior but in the generations of Masai men born, one and even a handful can and will become the most revered leaders or elders of their generation.
The woman, though they too receive the degree of respect as an important component of the Masai family system, survival of a family depends on the level of hard work a woman will do. Women are the farmers as the men are exclusively the hunters. The women of every Masai tribe is expected to be committed to a Masai man who has attained and recognized to have proven his level in the Masai social scale at a very young age, Masai little girls are trained to become the home makers.
The Masai of today remains intact with much of its tradition existing and has ably resisted the influences of the Western world but in the process of adopting some changes is slowly and surely taking roots. The changes being brought about by external influences is slowly transforming the Masai into something of life lived by the rest of the world albeit in a dire situation
The Masai is transforming and the unique colors of their once vibrant nomadic life is turning into the standard hues of life as seen by the rest of the world. Time will come, the Masai would be just a name for a tribe that once traveled the plains of Northwestern Africa, a memory of a once living civilization.
While sitting on a barber's chair, a tribesman
describes the way his hair should be cut.
Men from different part of Trans Mara and Masai Mara arrive to Aitong town to assist
at the cow market. Modern times have slowly crawled into Africa, signs that change is inevitable.
Obama is an icon in Kenya due of his family origins in
the country.
Every period of 7 or 8 years, a Masai tribe celebrates the graduation of a new generationof warriors.
Masai men and women from different villages commemorate the event with their presence.
During this graduation, men compete for the highest jump. The highest jumper warrior
will be well-known and respected in the entire Masai culture.
A young child takes part
of the celebration.
Masai warriors recreats in the last hours of the day while a
women obtain some fresh milk.
Masai songs narrates stories as well as rein-
force the importance of the animals.
The highest jumper of the village will try to protect the villages people pride
by competing against other villages.
Dressed with their best clothes, men drink inside of a household
as part of the final stage of the wedding.
This tribesman stands on a firm earth as the hot summer sun of Africa dries the water of
a pond beside the river.
An elderly Masai is about to leave the manjata during the first hour of the
day for a long walks with his cows.
Last hours of light for the day, children and teenagers bring the cattle inside of the village.
Predators such lions have attacked previous nights at the nearest villages.
Among the different responsabilities children have, taking care and looking after of the cattle
are the most important with difference. Survival of the village will depend on their cattle.
A child brings a goat back to her house. Ani-
mals are one more member of the community.
A 40 minutes walk from her village, a woman washes her clothes at the mara river.
On the other side of the river, men bring their cows to drink water.
In Masai culture is not rare to have children at an early age. Men and women mature faste, in fact,
when they are only teenagers are already thinking about marriage.
A Masai woman sits and works at
the entrance of her house.
The Masai home is typically made of mudbricks and with a few and small windows,
the smoke from firewood creates the streaming of sunlight into a dark home.
This Masai woman sits alone and quiet inside her hut as the first ray of lights of the day.
The sun is about to set and this Masai teen-
ager diligently prepares food for her family.
A Masai warrior starts the every night bonfire. Once is dark, all warriors
will gather around the fire.
By night, the men of the Masai tribe gather around one single bonfire at the
heart of their tribal village.
Here, the elders speak of their activities by day, sing and dance, talk about
the affairs of the tribe.
