The Masai Tribal Traditions and Customs
Whenever people speak about the tribes of Kenya, one particular tribe comes in mind. It is the Masai tribes (or Maasai as it is known in Tanzania). Most of the Masai tribe lives on the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. If you happen to visit Kenya or Tanzania, you can go for a guided tour to the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Amboseli National Park (both of which are in Kenya) and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and get a first hand view of the tribal customs and traditions.
The Masai tribe has become famous as they have still retained most of their traditional customs and ways, though Kenya and Tanzania have become industrialized and modern over the years. A larger percentage of the Masai tribe is still located in the rural areas and follows their traditions. They speak a language which is known as the “Maa”.
In the earlier years, the Masai were known to be fierce warring tribes and were feared a lot by the other East African tribes. They are traditionally a semi-nomadic tribe and rear cattle and livestock. The houses of the Masai are built by the women by using grass and sticks which is then covered with a mixture consisting of mud and cow dung. A village of the Masai tribe is known as the ‘Enkang”.
Usually the Masai men may have more than one wife. The women bead necklaces, headdress, dress and gourds. Both the men and women pierce their earlobes and wear large metal hoops at the top of their ears. A woman who has long stretched earlobes is regarded as a beauty in the Masai tribe. They may also have some decorative cuts on their faces, which are signs for beauty.
After a Masai boy enters adulthood, he becomes a warrior termed as “Morani”. A Morani is expected to be very strong and brave. He should have the ability to spear a lion. If a Morani holds the tail of a dying lion, he gets the mane of the lion as his prize and is also regarded with great honor in his village and tribe. Young boys enter the Morani through a ceremony which is held every seven years.
The Masai women and children usually shave off their heads while the Moranis wear long braided hair which is dyed with red clay. A very popular food of the Masai is custard made out of the blood of cattle. Milk is mixed with blood and then curdled to make the custard.
A holiday in Kenya is a sure way to experience incredible sights and it is definitely a world away from a vacation on the Miami beach or in ostello Amsterdam.
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