Maasai Woman and Cattle. While Maasai men are responsible for protecting and herding the cattle, women are in charge of milking the cattle as well as looking after the home and children. The Maasai people live in the African countries of Kenya and Tanzania . Their traditional way of life is centered on cattle.
Do the Maasai live in Kenya?
They have lived in areas of Tanzania and Kenya for hundreds of years and graze their precious cattle in both countries even today. Originating from ancient lands and simpler times the Maasai can trace themselves back hundreds of years. But the way they live today still reflects both when and where they came from.
What country are the Maasai from?
Masai warriors and boys performing a traditional dance in Kenya . Maasai, also spelled Masai, nomadic pastoralists of East Africa. Maasai is essentially a linguistic term, referring to speakers of this Eastern Sudanic language (usually called Maa) of the Nilo-Saharan language family.
Are the Maasai rich?
Traditionally, the Maasai are livestock keepers. ... Most outsiders considered the Maasai to be wealthy , as many of them kept large herds of cattle (Tignor, 1972). However, the large herds were owned by many individuals and, oftentimes, the distribution of livestock among members of a community was highly uneven.
Do the Maasai still exist?
They are among the best known local populations internationally due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress. ... The Maasai population has been reported as numbering 1,189,522 in Kenya in the 2019 census, compared to 377,089 in the 1989 census.
How many wives can a Maasai have?
Girls belonging to the first group are allowed to have sexual relationships with young morans, as a matter of fact, each girl can have up to three lovers , one of them will be chosen as a favourite, whereas the other two will take his place when he is outside the village or unavailable.
Why are Maasai so tall?
They are the tallest people on earth but the Maasai do get very close. With their long limbs, they belong to the tallest people of Africa. It’s because of their rich calcium diet that they are so tall. They seem taller because of their world famous high jumps.
Why do Maasai drink blood?
The Maasai, an ethnic group of semi-nomadic people who inhabit in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, drink cow blood on special occasions – circumcision of a child , the birth of a baby and on the occasion of a girl’s marriage. It also is given to drunken elders to alleviate intoxication and hangover.
What religion are the Maasai?
The Maasai belief system is monotheistic . The deity is called Engai and has a dual nature—both benevolent and vengeful. The most important figure in the Maasai religion is the laibon, a kind of priest and shaman, whose role traditionally includes healing, divination, and prophecy.
Are Maasai tall?
They are considered one of the tallest people in the world with average height of 6 ft 3 inches according to some reports. Traditionally, the Maasai diet consisted of raw meat, raw milk, and raw blood from cattle.
Why do Maasai jump?
The adamu is part of the Eunoto ceremony, where boys transition to men. The jumping also acts as a way for men to attract brides . The higher he jumps, the more of an eligible bachelor he is.
What language do Maasai speak?
Most Maasai also speak Swahili , the lingua franca of East Africa.
How old is the Maasai culture?
Maasai History
According to the tribe’s own oral history, the Maasai originated north of Lake Turkana (north-west Kenya) in the lower Nile Valley. They began migrating south in the 15th century and arrived in the long trunk of land stretching across central Tanzania and Northern Kenya during the 17th and 18 century.
Are Lions afraid of Maasai warriors?
Over the years on Safari I had always heard (and even read) that lions seemed to have an innate fear of Maasai warriors . Lions reportedly would run from them on sight, seemingly able to recognize that they were Maasai by their stance or posture or their long stride.
How high can Maasai jump?
With a jump of 8 feet 4 inches , he easily completed his “hat trick” – three events entered, three events won – and was mobbed by his teammates and fans.
What problems do the Maasai face?
One threat to the Maasai has come from from game hunters in the Loliondo region of northern Tanzania. Here, Maasai villages have been burnt to the ground by the authorities, and thousands have brutally evicted to provide a company, Otterlo Business Corporation Ltd (OBC), with more access to land for game hunting.
