Maasai of Africa

Maasai are tribal people who live on the border of  Kenya and Tanzania in Africa. Most of the Maasai population  lives  in Kenya. They are a fierce warring tribe that is semi nomadic meaning their habits are nomadic but they don’t move constantly from one place to another like nomads. A nomad is a person who does not stay long in the same place.

Maasai live inside circular kraals. These kraals are enclosure for cattle or other livestock. Each Kraal also has a few homes. They are made up of  prickly thorns, which prevent lions and other animals from attacking the cattle.

Maasai houses are  loaf shaped and are made of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and cow’s urine. Quite unique!! Women are incharge of making the houses while men are incharge of making kraals.

Cattle, goats and sheep are very important for Maasais. They barter these for food, cash and other livestock.

Maasai people pierce their earlobes and strectch them by wearing large, heavy earrings. They wear a lot of colorful beaded jewellery on their body. Women and children shave their heads.

In earlier times, Maasai kids did not have TV to watch or books to read and unfortunately they even did not even have any schools to go to. They used to play games that they could make from things around them. They would place stones on a sleeping rhinoceros. The last one to place a stone on the animal before it gets up used to be the winner. Phew! That’s such a dangerous game!

Now times are changing and so are the Maasai people. They engage in businesses like selling goats, grains, beads and sometimes even gadgets like cellphones. They do have access to schools and health care set up at Merrueshi by Maasai association. Parents have to take care of cattle rearing and other traditional chores while the kids go to school. Wow!

If you plan to go to Africa and are curious to meet the Maasai tribals, you can locate them at Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park  in Kenya or Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.