Hunting Lions, drinking blood and a rather painful initiation ceremony. These are just some of the unique traditions of the Maasai, one of the most famous and interesting of the Kenyan tribes.
Style and substance
As possibly the most culturally distinctive of the Kenyan tribes, the Maasai are renowned throughout the world for being a people of colour and culture, and that is seen more than ever in their bright and brilliant clothing.
The vibrant cloth worn by the Maasai is known as the ‘shuka’ and it’s far more than just a cool name. Red is the base colour of most shukas, as it is not only a sacred colour for the Maasai, but they also believe it protects them from being attacked by wild animals. Other striking shades adorn the technicoloured shuka, reflecting this Kenyan tribe’s captivating and unique culture. Orange is the colour of hospitality, green is for nourishment and yellow is for fertility and growth.
The colours are seen on full display in the ‘Amadu’ dance. Here, Maasai people will jump as high and straight as they can, with shouts and cheers to try to attract a partner.
A painful initiation
To begin the journey to adulthood, a young Maasai must go through emuratare, or in other words, circumcision. This is done at the break of dawn, in the jungle, without anaesthetic. Ouch.
Traditionally, both girls and boys would still be viewed as children until they are circumcised. However, the practice has become less and less common among Maasai girls in the modern era, with concerns of girls being married off as soon as they are circumcised, which could be as young as fourteen years old.
A local doctor carries out the procedure with a sterilised scalpel, to try and reduce the risk of infection. Once the ritual is complete, the young Maasai, must wear dark clothes and face a period of isolation where they only see their family for four months after.
The hunt
This tradition is hardly for the faint of heart. In order for a young boy to take the final step into manhood and become a Maasai warrior, he must hunt and kill a wild lion.
Yes, you read that right, a lion. The Kenyan tribes don’t exactly make it easy.
In the past, the young warrior would be required to hunt and kill the lion alone, yet due to wildlife conservation, the government and Maasai tribes reached an agreement that a group of young warriors would perform the hunt. Whichever of the young warriors delivered the killing blow would earn huge respect and get a lot of attention and admiration from the women of the village.
After the hunt is completed, the mane, tail and claws of the lion would be ornately adorned by the local women and kept as treasured possessions by the warriors. They do not eat the lion meat, as the only animal produce consumed by the Maasai tribe is that of their flocks. However, the hunting of female lions is strictly prohibited, unless there is an immediate threat to human life or to the livestock.
A Unique Beverage
The Maasai people are hematophagous which, in a nutshell, means they drink blood. Cattle are sacred to this Kenyan tribe, so they consume the blood of cows and mix it with butter and milk.
Maybe for you, this may not sound all that appetising, but, interestingly, a diet that includes cow milk, blood, and meat, as well as foraged plants and grains, has led to Maasai people being very healthy. Studies dating back to the 1930s showed very few signs of heart disease amongst these Kenyan tribes, with cholesterol levels about half as high as the average American’s. Somehow though, I doubt we’ll be seeing cow-blood-flavoured smoothies appearing in Western cafes any time soon.
Out of all the Kenyan tribes, the Maasai are known for being a tight-knit group, who value family and community above all else. A hotbed of colour and culture, it is a people group brimming with ancient traditions that are still well and alive today. Many Maasai tribal leaders have embraced external the commercial possibilities of tourism, inviting outsiders to their villages to witness and learn about Maasai culture. This arrangement allows them to continue to preserve their unique traditions while generating revenue and appeasing governing authorities. However, to protect their way of life in years to come, the Maasai may need to keep hunting for the right balance between tribal tradition and external expectations.
Do you believe that the Maasai, perhaps the best known of Kenyan tribes, will be able to continue to preserve these unique traditions?
