The Masai

About the tribe

The Masai are Nilo-Hamitic people originating from North Africa and living a nomadic lifestyle. They speak the Maa dialect. Some scholars refer them as the "Lost Tribe Of Israel". The men's hair is normally braided with ochre paste while the female have smooth shaven heads. They are believed to have migrated from the Nile Valley around 15 th century and arrived at the Great Rift Valley around 17 th century.

Cattle's keeping is the main form of economic activity they undertake. They obtain dung, milk and skin from them. Cattle blood is used during performing of traditional rituals such as passage rite. The elders' leader is called Oloiboni .

During teenage stage, both boys and girls are circumcised as a rite of passage to adulthood. The boys, who have undergone the rite, are required to the join the Morani .

Women utilize sticks to build huts called Manyattas . The manyattas are not very spacious, they are characterized by an opening in the roof to act as a passage for smoke and let in light. The enclosure where they are situated is called Enkangs . They also perform the following functions; repair the house, fetch water, look after young children and milk cows.

During 1960's part of the Masai land was taken from them to create the famed Masai Mara Game reserve.

Masai Moranis

These are the sons of the Masai, 'OLEs'

The Masai people are popularly known for their warriors that serve as the community's army called Moranis . They protect the community against external invasions and protecting their cattle from carnivores. The Moranis embellish their hair with red ochre and wear brown to red shoulder cloaks held by beaded hide belt on the waist. They are famed for their Lion- hunting prowess. Their main hunting tool is a spear.

In the past a Morani were expected by the society to kill a Lion-using spear to prove their manhood. This Lion-hunting activity is called Olomayio . The next stage after serving the community as a warrior, the Moranis graduate into elders through a ceremony called Eunoto . Their culture allowed men of same age group to have legal sexual access to each other's wife: this was after they had become junior elders.

During the Morani period the Masai youth are prohibited from getting married. Their main task is to guide the community against external invasions and protect their animal against attack from wildlife.

Most conflicts that the Masai engaged in were mainly cattle -related: either during raids or grazing grounds. Most communities feared them because of their prowess in spear fighting and their militaristic skills. They believed that God, Ngai, gave them all the cattle, therefore they had a right to raid other communities.

Civilization

The interrelation between the Masai and other tribes was cold; Moreover, they were not ready to follow what the European missionaries anticipated, creating an impression of being proud and arrogant.

When the missionaries arrived in Masai Land, they found some of their mores and customs barbaric and opted to revolutionize them. This included the almost-naked mode of dressing, leaving the dead to be eaten by wild animals. They deem the soil to be sanctified and therefore could not break it even to bury the dead. They by no means succeeded for up to today they dress on shukkas (cloaks) and offer good cultural safari.

As civilization encroached their territory, the colonial government took most of their lush land. This caused them to be displaced from the fertile area around Lake Naivasha and move south to the border between Kenya and Tanzania. The milieu here is exemplified by Savannah type of vegetation and climate.

Debacles

During late 19 th century, a string of cataclysm hit Masai land. The first was pleuro-pneumonia outbreak that highly affected herds. It was followed by rinderpest, then cholera outbreaks. These outbreaks led to many deaths and subsequent reduction of the Masai population.

Observances

Among the ceremonies performed in the Masai community include:

•  Enkipaata (senior boy ceremony)

The eve of the ceremony the boy is required by custom to sleep in the forest. They are then to wake up early and rush to a homestead where houses are built for the purpose of initiation. The Oloibon selects the site of the homestead. Before the ceremony is performed a boy's chief who is to carry all the age groups misdemeanor is selected, the chief is referred as Olopolosi orkiteng , This ceremony prepares the boy to be circumcised.

•  Emuratare (circumcision)

This is the initiation time, which is usually performed when both sexes are in adolescents' stage. This is the rite of passage to adulthood. The ceremony is usually performed very early in the morning; the early morning cold serves as the numbing syringe.

•  Eunoto.

This a ceremony performed to allow senior warriors to marry and have children. The characteristic of this passage is to shave his ( Moranis) hair,