Maasai Villages are very hospitable communities. You will be welcomed by singing and dancing by the locals. You will then be taken around the Maasai Villages to get involved in the many villages activities and practices. The Masai are cattle keepers and therefore you expect to milk cows. Have an opportunity of take pictures of with the locals. Interact with the local leaders. You will then be taken around the Maasai Villages to collect fruits and hunt animals. You will cook and also share the meals that the locals eat here.
The Maasai People
The Masai are a group of people that live on the border both in Kenya and Tanzania. They are nilotics and they are believed to have moved here in the 15th century. They are cattle keepers and they believe all the cattle on earth belong to them. It’s for this reason that they used to attack the neighboring tribes and steal their cattle.
The elders in the Masai community are very important and well respected people. They believed tradition is passed down form the older generation to the young one. The rites to become an adult are usually performed by the elders during a long ceremony that may last days. You will visit the Masai but you will not be allowed to get involved in their secret rites functions.
Masai traditions
Adumu is the traditional dance of the Masai. This dance is used to celebrate young men coming of age. The dance will involve a lot of jumping. The word “Adumu” is a Masai word to mean jump and in this perspective it is used to mean jumping up and down. The warriors will make a circle and a few people will enter the circle and just keep jumping for a while before they go back to the circle for another group to join in. This is how this dance is performed. You are required to jump up and down but while maintaining the stiff posture.
The Masai use both Milk and blood of the cattle for most of their functions. It could be a ritual function or wedding ceremony. They also believe a mixture of the two is very nutritious and good for the immune system that’s why they make sure the children feed on this to avoid falling sick. They also give the mixture to those that have just given birth and those that have just been circumcised to boost their immunity. The men use the mixture to cure hangovers. They may drink fresh, warm blood straight after it’s drawn, use it as an ingredient in cooked dishes, or mix it with milk. Some describe it as sweet and thick, with a film that forms over the surface just seconds after collection.
The Bomas
The Masai people live in traditional houses called Bomas. It’s the women that are responsible for constructing these houses. The houses are made out of sticks, mud and grass for roofing. A family can have several bomas in a homestead they are all divided according to the purpose. They can for example have one for the kids, the other of the parents, one as a kitchen and another food store. The women are also responsible for cooking, fetching water and firewood. The children are taught all these duties while at a young age. To help them grow strong, children are given a mixture of cow’s milk, blood and urine.
The Masai women make very beautiful jewellery which has in recent times been turned into a commercial activity. The beaded jewellery is won by the Masai at different occasions and different ages have special jewellery and colors for them. The Masai men have very unique hair styles that they change at every stage of life.
You can visit the Masai community and explore their culture. You can plan a two days stay here where you will be taken through the day to ay lives of the masai, be involved in cattle keeping, milking, preparing meals and finally spend your night in a Masai Boma. The Masai believe a lot in spiritual healing and they have a lot of have, you can have a chance to go through some of their herb making processes and you can even try out some of them.
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