THE MAASAI TRIBE 🇰🇪

The Maasai are one of the major symbols of Kenya. They are one of the most famous tribes in the world and one which have kept the majority of their traditions.

The Maasai live in or close to game reserves such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli national park and in Tanzania- Serengeti.

Their lives resolve around their livestock- they herd cows 🐮 and goats 🐐 so the land is very important for them. The cows 🐄 are their most valuable possessions and they protect them dearly and also use them as a currency 💰 to buy products and to buy a wife.

🤩 Interesting facts about the Maasai culture: 🤩

– You can recognise the Maasai tribe easily from their red cloths. They often shave their hair, wear a range of jewellery and many stretch their earlobes. 👂

🗣 They have their own language- it is called Maa. The majority are also educated in Swahili and English.

– They are famous for their amazing high jumping skills. It is called ‘Adamu’ and how high they can jump determines their power, strength and the higher they can jump, the more attractive they are for the ladies!

– A Maasai male can have multiple wives. The leader of the tribe that we visited had 7 wives and 47 children! 😯

– It is part of the tradition to raise Maasai men as warriors! From a young age they are taught how to herd cattle and hunt!

– It is/was tradition men to hunt lions. At age 15, boys will go into the forest as a group and live independently alongside the animals for up to 5 years. One warrior will attempt to kill a lion and when he does, they can return back to the tribe. (This was a tradition for years and now due to the decline of the lion population, it happens much less, however the boys still go and live in the forest and train to be warriors).

– Homes are made of cow poo 💩 The Maasai will settle in an area where there is land and water and build their community there. They will move every 9 years due to termites eating the houses!

❤️ Travelling to Kenya and visiting the Maasai is a must. It’s super interesting to learn about the tribe and visiting the villages is a great way of contributing to the community ❤️

Have you ever visited a tribe? 🙂