Maasai

Of Tanzania’s 120 ethnic groups, the Maasai are among the best known to the western world due to their distinctive customs and dress, and their residence near some of the greatest collections of wildlife on earth. These traditionally nomadic herders and warriors live in Northern Tanzania and southern Kenya in the vast open spaces of the Great Rift Valley, sometimes called Maasailand.

Survivors of a past era, the Maasai live much the same way their ancestors did for centuries. Unconcerned about the passing of time, their lives are dictated by the rising and setting of the sun, the rugged landscape and the ever-changing seasons.

Cattle
According to Maasai legend, Lengai (God) entrusted all the world’s cattle to them for safekeeping when the earth and sky split at the beginning of time. To this day, the Maasai believe that all cattle on the earth essentially belong to them.

The Maasai are expert herdsmen, and cattle are central to the lives of a Maasai community based on the need to pasture and care for them. Virtually all social roles and status in Maasai culture derive from the relationship of individuals to their cattle. The animals represent:

• Food - Cow’s milk, along with blood, is the staple food of the Maasai who eat no grain or fruit.

• Currency - Buying and selling cattle is the tribe’s form of currency. They are traded for other livestock, cash, beads, clothing and food items.

• Wealth - Maasai wealth and status are traditionally calculated on the number of cows that an individual owns.

Homes and Villages

A traditional Maasai home is called an enkaji, a low, loaf-shaped temporary structure made with branches and twigs overlaid with a “plaster” mixture of soil, cow dung and ash. Although small, an enkaji provides space for sleeping, cooking and some storage. They are usually damp, smoky, cramped for space, dark, and lack security and privacy. They are susceptible to fire, pests and harsh weather. The roof and the walls frequently crack and peel, requiring constant maintenance. Several enkaji arranged in a circular fashion around a central livestock pen create a Maasai homestead, or boma, which is traditionally shared by more than one family.

Customs and Ceremonies

The Maasai are a truly independent and proud culture with highly developed rituals revolving around age and initiations. Throughout Maasai life, almost every rite of passage from birth up to death is greeted with elaborate ceremonies and celebration with many recurring customs. Red is the colour of the Maasai. It is the basic colour of the Maasai shuka, or red blanket that is often worn around the shoulders by both men and women. Red predominates the beautiful beaded jewellery of the Maasai, and their hair and bodies are smeared with red ochre for various ceremonies.

In Maasai culture the women and girls are responsible for building the family hut, taking care of the children, fetching firewood and water, washing clothes, milking cows and preparing the family meals. Maasai women are easily recognized by their bright clothing and beaded jewellery and are well known for their beadwork. Women admire the sound of jewellery and incorporate small dangling pieces of shaped metal to make a soft chiming sound. They wear beaded jewellery around the neck, wrists, legs and through their ears.

Maasai men are classed by age into three categories: boys, warriors and elders. Boys transition from herders to warrior and then to elder status, holding varying responsibilities for cattle, protecting and advising the community.

The Maasai live in a polygamous family structure, where men have as many wives as they can afford. Wives are purchased with cattle. Children are considered a wonderful asset. Maasai have spoken language, known as Maa, but no written language. The complex history of the Maasai is recalled through storytelling.

Oldoinyo Lengai
~The Mountain of God~

Tanzania’s only active volcano is Oldoinyo Lengai, which means “Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. It is located approximately 120 km NW of Arusha in Northern Tanzania, near the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National parks.

Home to the Maasai god Engai who communicates her anger through drought and eruptions, the volcano summits at 7,650 feet (2,332 m) above the rift valley floor. Oldoinyo Lengai is a place of pilgrimage for the Maasai who often make the long journey to ask Engai for the most important things in their lives: rain, cattle and children.

Please Contact Us for information about hiking and trekking options on Oldoinyo Lengai.  

Maasai and Tourism

Despite the fact that Maasai society is currently facing many social, political and economic challenges, these people have a history of being able to adapt to changing conditions. Their strong traditional customs and way of life allow them to live in harmony with their beloved surroundings and now, cultural tourism programs are encouraging the Maasai to share their values and customs with others.

Maasai cultural encounters are relatively new in Northern Tanzania. The best way to experience and learn about Maasai life is to visit Maasai communities or to walk and hike through Maasailand with a Maasai Warrior. Please read about our Maasai-guided Warrior Walks, and opportunities for day and overnight visits to Simangori Maasai Village, or Contact Us for further information about opportunities for cultural interactions with local indigenous communities.