We visited a Maasai village while in the Mara, and it was so interesting; it’s such a world of contradictions. We toured the village, and we sat in their homes and learned.
Female circumcision. Polygamy. Boys taken out of school to herd the cattle. Girls often left out of school completely (they’re just going to move to another family’s homestead when they marry—why invest in another family’s future asset?). Lack of sanitation. Flies everywhere, including the children’s dirty faces. No electricity. Trips to the river over a mile away to gather water. Cries of “sistah, sistah” as they try to sell the mzungu’s overpriced jewelry.
Traditional jumping dances. Bright, vibrant red clothing. Sitting under a shade tree doing beadwork, children watching on playfully. Proud 5 year old boys herding their first calves. A 13 year old wearing the mark of a recent female circumcision, a beaded black and white head covering, with such dignity. Music on the lips of the elders as the sun begins to set. A pride in their culture unmatched by any I’ve seen thus far in Kenya.
The Maasai village is still really on my mind. Where’s the balance between globalization and tradition? Sticking to your roots and denying progress? Following customs and taking away choice? The Maasai are dancing on these lines, struggling to make it all fit together.
What a thoughtful and thought provoking post on the "world of contradictions" of the Maasai. Great pictures too. Thanks.
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