Facts About the Maasai Tribe
10 Interesting Facts About the Maasai Tribe That You Should Know
When we think of "tribal communities," we tend to think of small groups of people completely cut off from the "real world." And whether it's about housing, clothing, or how they spend their day, most of what we know about tribal lifestyles are often impressions rather than first-hand information or facts.
So, one example of a tribal community with ongoing interaction with the outside world is the semi-nomadic tribe of the Maasai. The Maasai peacefully coexist with animals and other tribes, tending to their livestock and moving through East Africa as they have for several hundred years. And while the Maasai are among the few tribes in Kenya and Tanzania with name recognition, they make up less than 20% of the tribal population in Tanzania.
Most of us have heard little more about their daily lives beyond mention of colorful clothing and warm, friendly hospitality. We hope we have piqued your interest enough here that you'll read on and broaden your understanding of the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania.
Maasai Tribe – Origin
While there is debate on the exact origins of the Maasai, most histories mention the lower Nile, probably in today's Sudan. Over the last 300-400 years, the Maasai emigrated south into Kenya and Tanzania's Great Rift Valley region, raising cattle and other livestock, with their population peaking in the mid-19th century. Today, the Maasai live across the Maasai Mara region in southwestern Kenya and northern Tanzania, including but not limited to the Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Manyara regions.
The People Who Speak Maa
Do you know how the Maasai tribe gets its name? The answer lies in the name of their language, Maa, so “Maasai” can be roughly translated to "the people who speak Maa." Interestingly, of the over 3000 languages the Bible has been translated into, Maa is one of them.
Here are a few Maa words to know:
“Thank you (very much) – Ashe (naleng)”
“Greetings (to men)- Supai” - Answer: “epaa”
“Greetings (to women)- Takwenya” - Answer: ”iko”
“Sere” - goodbye
The Lifestyle
The Maasai tribe is semi-nomadic and migrates with the season and the rainfall, searching for fresh grass and water for their cattle and other livestock. As pastoralists, their well-being, quality, and experience of daily life are intrinsically linked with the care and robustness of their herds.
Wealth in the Maasai Tribe
To the Maasai, whoever has the most cattle is the richest in the tribe. As mentioned above, life circles around the cattle. From status to food and clothing, the cattle's needs take precedence over everyone else, as the Maasai depend upon them to survive. And while other livestock might run a distant second in importance, they all play a role in the daily life of the Maasai. The tribe will raise cows, goats, sheep, and even donkeys ( the latter as a means of transportation).
From Cow Dung to House
Maasai people use cow dung mixed with mud to build the walls for their homes, with grass and wooden sticks for the roof. The Maasai women are in charge of building the houses, which will be circular and on the small side, with no more than two or three rooms. So the number of days to build the structure will depend on the number of helpers and available resources.
Maasai Tribe’s Fashion Sense
Just as dung, a cow "by-product"” makes up a home, cattle also used to provide hides for the tribe's clothing. Nowadays, cowhide is only used for clothing on special occasions (the Maasai differentiate for age, gender, and region) - their main clothing is the cherished shuka.
A shuka is a thick blanket interwoven with red and black or red and blue checkered patterns. We often think of the Maasai in red, a favorite color of the tribe, along with blue and black. These colors will also be seen in the multi-colored beaded jewelry worn by both men and women.
Celebrating a New Family Member
The new family member will be celebrated among the community as soon as a baby is born. Usually, for these first four months, the mother and the child stay at home and do not leave the house, and the mother cannot cut her hair (nor can the baby receive a haircut) during that time. After the four-month isolation, the women in the tribe often celebrate the end of this period, known as Enkipukonoto Eaji, which means "crossing the isolated period." During this celebration, both the mother and the child shed all their hair to denote their new start together.
The Maasai's Diet
Since cows and other livestock are their primary food sources, the Maasai drink a lot of milk and eat a lot of meat. And then there's the blood. Cow's blood that is. They make a small incision into a cow's jugular artery to draw a fair amount of blood without injuring the cow. The Maasai believe drinking cow's blood is a tonic for strengthening the mind and body. They drink blood when they fall ill or just after giving birth.
But nowadays, Maasai add rice, maize, beans, and potatoes to their diet. Many Maasai have started cultivating crops, resulting in a more balanced diet.
Belief in “Beyond”
In the Masaai tribe, one God has two "faces," the benevolently-faced Engai Narok and the vengeful-looking Engai Nanyokie. For the Maasai, red and black are the colors that correlate with God's nature
These days, many of the Maasai have converted to Christianity. However, the Maasai used to have their own ways of handling death. In the past, a body did not get buried. Instead, the Maasai used to leave a deceased’s body in their house and move on to find another place due to their belief that the place of death was cursed. The Maasai will always seek to protect the soil for their livestock and avoid burning of any kind, including ceremonial rituals.
Days in the Life of the Maasai Tribe:
The Maasai have their own "calendar" with only three seasons in the year. And unsurprisingly, for a pastoral community, these seasons are all about the rain: long rains, short rains, and drought. When it comes to months, there are no names for the 12 months in a year. An average month consists of 30 days (like in Western calendars). These 30 days consist of 15 days of brightness and 15 days of darkness (this is in relation to the moon’s brightness).
FAQs:
What is the Maasai tribe well-known for?
The Maasai tribe is well-known for its wardrobe and jewelry. The wardrobe is known as Shuka. Shuka is a thick blanket woven with a combination of red and black or red and blue checkered patterns and is mainly used by the tribal people to protect them from harsh weather. Their jewelry consists of intricate beadwork.
What language do the Massai people speak?
Maa is the official language spoken by the Maasai tribe. The meaning of “Maasai” is roughly known as “the people who speak Maa.” There are dictionaries, and even the bible has been translated into Maa language.
Why do Maasai people jump so high?
The Maasai people do the dance known as osingolio. Young men in the tribe perform this dance to show off their strength and ability. The main purpose of this dance is to celebrate a specific occasion happening within the community.
Takeaway
The Maasai are fascinating people. Their culture and way of life are unique to most of us visiting from someplace far away. To learn more about the people of the Maasai, we invite you to visit a Maasai village while on your upcoming safari, or you can check out our website. Urth Expedition provides safari excursions to the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Tarangire national parks but always seeks to include opportunities for you to meet these warm and welcoming people along the way.