Make: Maasai Creativity Tepilit Ole Saitoti
Make: Maasai Creativity TepiliT Ole SaiTOTi Millerpress publishing nassau, Bahamas
MillerPress Nassau, Bahamas
published in 2014 by: Millerpress publishing ltd. reprint. Originally published by: new york: abrams, 1980, 1990 all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any for m or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. a catalogue record for this book is available from the library of Congress. iSBn: 0-8109-8099-1 The body copy of this book was typeset in Chaparral pro with the chapter numbers set in didot. This book was printed and bound by Blurb.com with the interior pages printed on premium lustre paper. printed and bound in the United States of america. edited and designed by: whiTney Miller
1 who are the Maasai? p 6 WHO WHERE
2 Fashion p 14 GARMENTS BEADS HISTORY PIERCING
3 warrior Style p 34 HAIR LEGS BEADED WARRIOR BELTS HEADDRESSES
4 Culture p 48 FOLKLORE HOLIDAY
5 diet & livestock p 60 DIET FARM MEAD
6 home p 72 KRAALS NOMADIC LIFE
Table of
Contents
Bibliography p 81 index p 82 image Credits p 86
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who are the Maasai? WHO p 8-11 WHERE p 12-13
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WHO
T
he Maasai a re t houg ht of a s t he t y pic a l c at t le herders of a f r ic a , yet t he y h ave not a lways been herders, nor a re t he y a l l tod ay. B ec au se of popu l at ion g row t h, develop ment strategies, and the resulting shortage of land, cattle raising is in decline. however, cattle still represent “the breath of life” for many Maasai. w hen given the chance, they choose herding above all other livelihoods. For many wester ners, the Maasai are hollywood ’s “noble savage”— f ierce, proud , h a nd some, of g racef u l b e a r i n g , a nd e le g a nt l y t a l l . h a i r s me a re d re d w it h o c h re (a pig ment), t hey eit her ca r r y spea rs or sta nd on one foot tend ing catt le. T hese depict ions oversimpl if y Ma asa i l ife dur ing t he twentieth centur y.
Today, Maasai cattle herders may also be growing maize (corn) or wheat, rearing Guinea fowl, raising ostriches, or may be hired by ecologists to take pictures of the countryside. prior to British colonization, africans, arabs, and european explorers considered the Maasai formidable warriors for their conquests of neighboring peoples and their resistance to slavery. Caravan traders traveling from the coast to Uganda crossed Maasailand with trepidation. however, in 1880–81, when the British unintentionally introduced rinderpest (a cattle disease), the Maasai lost 80 percent of their stock.
right page: Cattle herder.
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T he British colonizers further disrupted Maasai life by moving them to a reserve in southern kenya. while the British encouraged the Maasai to adopt european ways, they also advised them to retain their traditions. These contradictions resulted, for the most part, in leaving the Maasai alone and allowed them to develop almost on their own. however, drought, famine, cattle diseases, and intratribal warfare ( warfare among themselves) in the 19 th century greatly weakened the Maasai and nearly destroyed certain tribes. Since Kenyan and Tanzanian independence from Britain in the 1 9 6 0 s , l a nd ow ne rsh i p h a s ch a nge d dra m at ic a ll y. Mo de r n ranching , wheat cultivation techniques, and setting of grazing boundaries in the Maasai district are becoming common. a wage a n d c a s h e c o n o my i s re p l a c i n g t h e b a r t e r ( t ra d e ) s y s t e m . Consequently, the Maasai have begun to integrate themselves into the modern economies and mainstream societies of kenya and Tanzania, albeit with considerable reluctance.
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T his page: E lders with their wives for Olngesherr (the major ceremony marking the full confirmation of elderhood). 11
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This page: Sections of Maasailand (subsections and geographic landmark s in italics).
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WHERE
T
he Maasai are thought to have originated in the Upper nile Valley. Their myths speak about climbing up from a broad and deep crater bounded on all sides by a steep, long cliff. By the 1600s they had begun migrating with their herds into the vast arid, savanna-like ( grassland) region of east africa straddling the kenya-Tanzania border. Today, their homeland is bounded by lake Victoria to the west and Mount kilimanjaro to the east. Maasailand extends some 310 miles (500 kilometers) from north to south and about 186 miles (300 kilometers) at its widest east-west point. estimates of the Maasai population include more than 150,000 in Tanzania, and close to 150,000 in kenya.
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Fashion GARMENTS p 16-17 BEADS p 18-23 HISTORY p 24-31 PIERCING p 32-33
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right: Maasai women and warriors.
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GARMENTS
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aasai clothing varies by age, sex, and place. Traditionally, shepherds wore capes made from calf hides, and women wore capes of sheepskin. The Maasai decorated these capes with glass beads. in the 1960s, it is recorded that the Maasai began to replace animal- skin with commercial cotton cloth. women tied lengths of this cloth around their shoulders as capes ( shuka) or around the waist as a skirt. T he Maasai color of pre ference is red, although black , blue, striped, and checkered cloth are also worn, as are multicolored african designs. elderly women still prefer red and dye their own cloth with ochre. Until recently, men and women wore sand als made from cowhides; nowadays sandals and shoes are generally made of tire strips or plastic. young women and girls, and especially young warriors, spend much time on their appearance. Styles vary by age group The Maasai excel in designing jewelry. They decorate their bodies with tattooing, head shaving, and hair styling with ochre and sheep’s fat, which they also smear on their bodies. a variety of colors are used to create body art.
left page: Maasai women displaying their shukas. T his page: War r iors display their feathered headpieces as they march. 17
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BEADS
W
omen and girls wear elaborate bib-like bead necklaces, as well as headbands and earrings, which are colorful and intricate. when ivory was plentiful, warriors wore ivory bands on their upper arms much like the ancient egyptians. Jewelry plays an important role in courtship.
T he Maasai tribe of Africa is well known for its traditional handmade bead jewelry. Beadwork has been an important part of Maasai culture for many years. Maasai women set aside time every day to meet and work on beaded jewelry which includes colorful necklaces, bracelets, and pendants. Beaded decorations are the most common ornaments worn by Maasai men and women alike. One Maasai dictionary lists some forty different words for specific types of beadwork. It is considered the duty of ever y Maasai woman to learn the jewelr y making craft . all of the tr ibes ’ beadwork is made by the women but is wor n by both women and men. T he jewelr y they create is not only beautiful but also has impor tant cultural significance. The beadwork an individual wears will signify their age and social status. Generally, persons of high social standing will wear more colorful and intricate jewelry. The Maasai also make decorative headbands, bracelets, and anklets. T hese are always fashionable, though styles change as age-groups invent new designs. Bead s also ser ve as an impor tant source of income for the Maasai. Tourists visiting the Maasai regions in kenya and northern Tanzania will find many beautiful pieces for sale that make great gifts for women and for men. Often the Maasai will wear or give beaded jewelry for special occasions.
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This page: Young woman with beaded jewelry and silver pendants. 19
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This page: A young woman with long f lap earrings sings for the warrior she loves. right page: Child with beaded bib and headband.
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Unmarried Maasai girls often wear a large, f lat beaded disc that surrounds their neck when dancing. T hey use the movement of the disc to display their grace and f lexibility. women will wear a ver y elaborate and heavy beaded necklace on their wedding day. The necklace often hangs down to the bride’s knees and can make it very difficult for her to walk. a married Maasai woman will wear a Nborro, which is a long necklace with blue beads. it is possible to identify the year a given piece was made by its age-group design.
left page: Elegant and beautiful on her wedding day. 23
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HISTORY
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he Maasai have been creating bead jewelry for a long time, well before their first contact with europeans. Before contact with the europeans the tribe used the natural resources around them to create their jewelry. These natural resources included clay, wood, bone, copper, and brass. in the late 19th century, trade with the europeans made glass beads available to the africans. The Maasai started using these european glass beads to make their necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry. Today, glass is still the main material used by the tribe for their beads.
Chapter 2: Fashion
T his page: Child with beaded jewelry Following Spread: Detail of necklace. 25
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The colors used in the beadwork are selected for their beauty. T hese par ticular colors are also symbolic and have impor tant meanings understood by the tribe. Often these meanings have an association with cattle, which is the Maasai’s main food source and for which they have a deep connection. ORANGE: Symbolizes hospitality. The association with cattle is that visitors are served cows milk from orange gourds. YELLOW: like orange, yellow also symbolizes hospitality. The animal skins on visitors beds are yellow. GREEN: Symbolizes health and land. Cattle graze on the green grass of the land. BLACK: represents the people and the struggles they must endure. RED: Stands for bravery, unity, and blood. red is the color of cows blood. Often, a cow is slaughtered when the Maasai meet and therefore, unity is associated with red. WHITE: represents peace, purity, and health. The association with health comes from white cows milk which the tribe drinks to stay healthy. BLUE: represents energy and the sky. rain falls from the blue sky which provides water for the cattle.
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left page: Bracelets showing colors favored by the Maasai. This page: Maasai man with simple headdress and necklaces. 29
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T his page: B a bies are ver y involved. right page: Baby wearing her little bracelet and waistband.
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Maasai mothers and babies share a loving relationship, filled with physical contact and nurturing. Small babies are cuddled, tickled, nursed, and held — they are encouraged to explore their immediate world, which brings them into direct knowledge of the activities of Maasai life. as a mark of their treasured status among Maasai families, even the youngest children are adorned with bead necklaces and waistbands or wire bracelets and may be given special leather amulets to ward off misfortune.
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left: Woman with stretched earlobes. Below: A young Maasai g irl’s earlobes being stretched.
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PIERCING
E
ar piercing for both boys and girls takes place. The cartilage of the upper ear is pierced with hot iron. when this heals, a hole is cut in the ear lobe and gradually enlarged by inserting rolls of leaves or balls made of wood or mud. nowadays, plastic film canisters may serve this purpose. The bigger the hole, the better. Those earlobes that dangle to the shoulders are considered perfect.
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warrior Style HAIR p 36-39 LEGS p 40-43 BEADED WARRIOR BELTS p 44-45 HEADDRESSES p 46-47
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HAIR
T
o become a warrior is the dream of every Maasai youth — the word itself seems to convey magical powers. a warrior must be strong, clever, courageous, confident, wise, and gentle. he must hunt lions for his headdress, protect his herds from predators, retrieve stolen or strayed cattle, often from long distances, and safeguard his community. warriors enjoy great comradeship, sharing with one another everything from food to girl friends. in addition to the practical services they provide for the group they live among, warriors also add an immeasurable sense of excitement, adventure, and romance — without their songs, their poetry, their flirting, their bold masculinity, Maasai life would not the same. T he young warriors begins to grow his hair long and to put on the heavy ocher make-up and ornamentation that particularly mark his warriorhood. Colorful beads, buttons, and metal objects adorn his earlobes. Bead necklaces fashioned by girl friends criss cross his chest. around his neck he wears a special neckband made from a goat’s stomach lining; fragrant seeds are pressed into a strip of lining while it is still wet and are tied in place with string. attached to the neckband at the throat is a disk made from the shell of a crocodile egg.
right page: Warrior with long hair styles hair of youth.
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T his page: War r iors display hair. right page: Leather decorations adorn warriors hair.
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Wa r r iors s p e n d a g rea t d ea l o f t im e s t yl in g the ir h a ir. The hair is first dressed with animal fat and ocher and then parted ac ro ss t he top o f t he wa r r ior ’s he ad at e a r le ve l. T he basic plaiting involves par ting the hair into small s e c t i o n s , d i v i d i n g e a c h s e c t ion i n t wo, a nd the n t w is t ing e ach pa r t , f i rst s e pa rate l y a nd t he n to ge the r. Co tton or wo ol t h re ad s a re t w i ste d i n to le ng the n the h a ir. p l a i te d h a i r m ay h a n g lo o s e or b e gat he re d together and bound with leather.
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LEGS
This page: Dried ocher leg design. right page: R ed ocher being painted into intricate design. Fol low ing S pre ad: E x a mp l e s o f dried ocher leg designs.
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he warrior ’s other major body decoration is leg painting. Coating his legs with ocher, he creates patters by drawing his finger tips through the wet color, exposing the d ark skin. Ocher is a pigment der ived from the ear th. it contains ferric oxide and clay and varies from light yellow to brown or red.
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BEADED WARRIOR BELTS
A
mon g t he w ide va r ie t y o f b e ade d de corat ions wor n by war r iors — on their heads, around their necks, at their e a rs , on t he i r a r m s a nd le g s — is a n a r row b e l t th at s e r ve s to c a r r y t he s c a bb a rd o f t he s hor t s word. T he b e l t is often embellished at the back with a patter n sewn on a leather for m. all war r ior beads are fashioned by women, most by g irl f r i e n d s — a n k l e t s o r u p p e r - a r m b a n d s a re p a r t i c u l a r s i g n s o f love. wor n for lon g p e r io d s , t he y m ay b e g ive n a s g if t s or exch a n ge d m a n to m a n .
l e f t pa ge: C l o s e up o f d e ta il ed warrior belt. This page: Warriors with their belts in the field. 45
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HEADDRESSES
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he major ceremony of warrior life, called Eunoto, marks the transition to elderhood, when a man may marry. preparations take months — lions are hunted for manes and ostrich feathers gathered to make headdresses; kudu-horn trumpets are decorated with lion tails. at a site an on a date chosen by the chief Laibon, the warriors’ mothers construct a large manyatta. From distant feasting camps, hundreds of warriors march to the site. as they approach, to the accompaniment of kudu-horns and with their metal thigh bells jingling, many become crazed with emotion. They may go rigid, thrust out their arms, froth at the mouth, and utter repetitive animal-like sounds. T heir mothers and other warriors calm them down.
Next mor ning , the war r iors , wear ing cloak s of K anga cloth around their shoulders, perform the Enkpaata dance to horn and voice. They charge wildly around the manyatta in small groups, at intervals falling to their knees, waving their headdresses in unison. Following enkipaata, the forty-nine mothers who sons are held to be the most distinguished build a second manyatta of forty-nine hide houses. at its center they construct the o-singira, a house for the most sacred rituals. Those warriors who have not had sexual relations with circumcised women may enter the o-singira to spend the night drinking milk and receiving a variety of special blessings.
l e f t : Wa r r io r w i th h ea ddre ss a nd white face pigment called enturoto. right: Warrior with fur headdress.
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Culture FOLKLORE p 50-55 HOLIDAY p 56-59
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FOLKLORE
M
aasai legends and folktales tell much about the origin of present-day Maasai beliefs. These stories include their ascent from a crater from the earth, the emergence of the first Maasai prophet-magician ( l aibon), the killing of an evil giant ( Oltatuani) who raided Maasai herds, and the deception by Olonana of his father to obtain the blessing reser ved for his older brother, Senteu (a legend similar to the Biblical story of Jacob and esau).
right page: Maasai men showing off superb jumping skills.
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O n e or i g in m y th re vea l s m u ch a b o ut pre s e nt-d a y Ma a s a i relations between the sexes. it holds that the Maasai are descended from two equal and complementar y tr ibes, one consisting strictly of females, and the other of males. T he women’s tribe, the Moroyok , raised antelopes, including the eland, which the Maasai claim to have been the first species of cattle. instead o f c at t le , she e p , a nd goat s , t he wome n h ad he rd s o f ga z e lle s . Zebras transported their goods during migrations, and elephants were their devoted friends, tearing down branches and bringing them to the women who used them to build homes and corrals. The elephants also swept the antelope corrals clean. however, while the women bickered and quarreled, their herds escaped. even the elephants left them because they could not satisfy the women with their work.
left page: Maasai warriors sing ing. 53
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According to the same my th, the Mor wak— the men ’s tr ibe— raised cattle, sheep, and goats. The men occasionally met women in the forest. The children from these unions would live with their mothers, but the boys would join their fathers when they grew up. w hen the women lost their herds, they went to live with the men, and, in doing so, gave up their freedom and their equal status. From that time, they depended on men, had to work for them, and were subject to their authority.
right page: Maasai men starting a fire in the traditional way.
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HOLIDAY
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aasai children wake up early on the 25 th of december and excitedly urge their parents to hurry as they make tea and cook breakfast so they can open the presents. They have been preparing for this holiday for months by making presents for each other — beaded jewelry, belts, bags, calabashes, toy s , a nd b o dy ador n me nt for t he childre n. a f te r the pre s e nt opening, clans gather for the feast of roasted meat, potatoes, and potent honey beer ( mead). T hey are known to be a culture with close community and family ties and who love to celebrate all occasions in a big way, so they naturally adopted Christmas into their culture as yet another wonder ful celebration and embraced it with relish. In the m o nth s a p p ro a ch in g C h r i s t m a s , the Ma a s a i a re b u s y making presents, planning events, cleaning their finest of everything, scrubbing the houses, repairing the grounds, getting out the jewelry and shopping for new kikoys, the european version of a shuka (made from Maasai fabric), to wear. The air is full of excitement. Bees love the blooming acacia trees, and produce the most f lavorful of all of the honeys in the world. This honey is then used to produce honey beer — a common holiday beverage at Maasai celebrations, also known as “ mead”.
left page: Jumping contest. 57
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T he Maasai fill the season with several harambees, a Kenyan party reminiscent of an american wedding or baby shower where gifts and money are given. The harambee was originally introduced by Jomo kenyatta, the first president of kenya, as a way to raise money to build schools. Over time, the harambee has expanded into a kenyan tradition to raise money and gifts for weddings, hospital expenses, school fees, and other occasions. The Maasai adopted the county’s custom and use it liberally. when you wake up Christmas morning , think for just a moment about the Maasai half a world away. Cuddling exhausted children, patting stomachs full of meat, drowsy with libation, and admiring their lovely presents with family all around.
right page: Peeking outside.
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diet & livestock DIET p 62-65 FARM p 66-69 MEAD p 70-71
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DIET
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he Maasai depend on cattle for both food and cooking utensils (as well as for shelter and clothing). Cattle ribs make stirring sticks, spatulas, and spoons. horns are used as butter dishes and large horns as cups for drinking mead. The traditional Maasai diet consists of six basic foods: meat, blood, milk, fat, honey, and tree bark. wild game (except the eland — a species of antelope), chicken, fish, and salt are forbidden. allowable meats include roasted and boiled beef, goat, and mutton. Both fresh and curdled milk are drunk, and animal blood is drunk at special times — after giving birth, after circumcision and excision, or while recovering from an accident. it may be tapped warm from the throat of a cow, or drunk in coagulated form. it can also be mixed with fresh or soured milk , or dr unk with therapeutic bark soups ( motori). it is from blood that the Maasai obtain salt, a necessar y ingredient in the human diet. people of delicate health and babies eat liquid sheep’s fat to gain strength.
Traditionally, the Maasai rely on meat , milk , and blood from cattle for protein and caloric needs. people drink blood on special occasions. also, on a regular basis drunk elders, ilamerak, use the blood to alleviate intoxication and hangovers (perhaps from too much mead). Blood is ver y rich in protein and is good for the immune system. however, its use in the traditional diet is waning due to the reduction of livestock numbers.
left page: Maasai herder. 63
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T his pa ge: S u f fo ca t in g la mb in preparation for feast. right page: Slaughtering by hand.
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During their years as warriors, Maasai males often retreat to a feasting camp called olpul, deep in the bush, far from the presence of women. There, they gain strength, share warrior wisdom and lore, and prepare for lion hunts and cattle raids. The feasting itself begins with the suffocation of an ox, lamb, or goat. The animal’s neck is slit and the blood that collects there is dr unk while still warm. T he u nde r b e l l y i s c u t , a nd t he he a r t , k idne y s , a nd live r a re re move d a nd e ate n . T he sk i n i s p ulle d o f f a nd the me at to b e roasted is stretched on pliant branches shaped into “kites” and placed by fire. Fatty parts are kept in a hide container and are later made into a meat soup. a second broth, believed to give courage, is brewed from acacia bark and blended into the meat soup with a twirled stick to break down the fat. After their solitar y olpul, warriors return home to their g irl friends, to f lir t and play games, chasing each other with long , leafy branches, and conducting mock jousts. They also play among themselves, running races, practicing spear throwing, and dodging hurled sisal stalks with their shields. at day’s end the warriors and girls come together to sing and dance. Both traditional and original songs form the repertoire. Unaccompanied by instruments, the male and female dancers move to repetitive, throaty vocal rhythms, usually uttered by the males, and to solo melodies, delivered by the best singers.
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FARM
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ore recently, the Maasai have grown dependent on food produced in other areas such as maize meal ( unga wa mahindi), rice, potatoes, cabbage (known to the Maasai as goat leaves), etc. T he Maasai who live near crop farmers have engaged in cultivation as their pr imar y mode of subsistence. in these areas, plot sizes are generally not considered large enough to accommodate herds of animals; thus the Maasai are forced to farm. This is traditionally frowned upon. it is believed that using the land for crop farming is a crime against nature. Once you cultivate the land, it is no longer suitable for grazing.
left page: Maasai boys learn to care for animals at an early age. This page: Young Maasai child holding a lamb. 67
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This page: Kids are ver y much involved with livestock. right page: Playing with goats.
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MEAD
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ead is super easy to make, and it turns out great (most of the time) depending on your recipe. it can take as little as a month, years, or even up to a life time for it to ferment. also, mead is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to give gifts for the holidays. Mead or honey wine is the oldest alcoholic drinks known to man. it is made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast. it may be still, carbonated, or sparkling. it may be dr y, semi-sweet, or sweet. Unlike beers and cider, meads (being wines) are drunk in small quantities. Therefore, they are made as strong as possible. The amount of alcohol that can be made in meads is limited to the capacity of the yeast added to withstand alcohol. and it is impor tant to understand that yeast cannot live in a solution containing more than 14% of alcohol by volume. This is the usual amount that will destroy the yeast. But under certain circumstances and with suitable yeast, the percentage might be as high as 18%. On the whole, an amateur is unlikely to produce more than 16%, this is because he is unlikely to be able to car r y out fer ments under laborator y conditions. depending on local traditions and specific recipes, it may be brewed with spices, fruits, or grain mash. it may b e pro d uce d by fe r me nt at ion o f hone y w i th g ra in m a s h. Mead may also be flavored with this to produce a bitter, beer-like flavor. Mead is independently multicultural. It is known from many sources of ancient history throughout africa, europe, and asia, although archaeological evidence of it is ambiguous. its origins are lost in prehistory; “it can be regarded as the ancestor of all
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fermented drinks,” Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat has observed, “antedating the cultivation of the soil.” Claude levi-Strauss makes a case for the invention of mead as a marker of the passage “from nature to culture.” This page: A pis mellifera scutellata, also known as the A frican Bee.
Honey is made up of approximately 70% sugar, the remainder is made up of impurities such as yeast, bacteria, water, albumen (egg white is the common name for this clear liquid), and ash. But our main concern is the amount of sugar, for it is what the yeast feeds on to produce the alcohol that is desired. The yeast and bacteria are also our concern, but these are going to be taken care of while brewing. if you use just a little honey the wine will be dry, if you use a lot of honey it will be sweet! if you want it to be even sweeter, you can also add more sweetener like corn syrup. if you do not have corn syrup available, cane sugar will work but it won’t be as good.
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home KRAALS p 74-75 NOMADIC LIFE p 76-79
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KRAALS
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he Maasai live in settlements called engangs or kraals arranged in a circular fashion. These circular enclosures contain dung plastered houses. T he fence around the kraal is made of acacia thorns, which prevent lions from attacking the cattle. it is a man’s responsibility to fence the kraal, while women construct the houses. Traditionally, kraals are shared by an extended family. however, due to the new land management system in the Maasai region, it is not uncommon to see a kraal occupied by a single family.Â
T he Inkajijik ( Maasai word for a house) are loaf- shaped and made of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung , and cow ’s urine. women a re re s p on si ble for m a k i n g the ho u s e s a s we ll a s s u p pl y ing wate r, col le c t i n g f i re wo o d , milk ing c att le , a nd co ok ing for the family. war r iors are in charge of secur ity while boys are responsible for herding livestock . dur ing the droug ht season, both warriors and boys assume the responsibility of herding livestock. The elders are directors and advisors for day-to-day activities. every morning before livestock leave to graze, an elder who is the head of the inkang sits on his chair and announces the schedule for everyone to follow.
Both pages: Kraal arrangements.
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NOMADIC LIFE
T
h e M a a s a i a re a s e m i - n o m a d i c p e o p l e w h o l i v e u n d e r a communal land management system. The movement of livestock is based on seasonal rotation. Contrar y to many claims made by outsiders, particularly the hardinian School of Thought, this com mu n a l l a nd m a n a ge me nt s y s te m a llow s the m to utilize resources in a sustainable manner. each section manages its own te r r i tor y. U nde r nor m a l condi t ions , re s e r ve pa s ture s a re fa l lowe d a nd g u a rde d by t he wa r r iors . howe ve r, if the dr y s e a s o n b e c o m e s e s p e c i a l l y h a r s h , s e c t i o n s b o u n d a r i e s a re ignored and people graze animals throughout the land until the ra i ny s e a s o n a r r i v e s . a c c o rd i n g t o t h e M a a s a i t ra d i t i o n a l l a n d a g re e m e n t , n o o n e s h o u l d b e d e n i e d a c c e s s t o n a t u ra l resources such as water and land.
The Maasai’s first contact with Europeans came in the late 1840s through two German members of the Church Missionary Society, a multi-denominational group based in london. dr. ludwig krapf encountered the Maasai living in kenya, while reverend John rebmann led an expedition through Tanzania. in 1860, dr. krapf published a book , Travels, R esearches and Missionar y L abours, which contains probably the first written description of the Maasai and their mode of life:
left: Warrior and future warrior. right: Kids in front of Inkajijik. 77
Make: Maasai Creativity
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left page: Warrior headdress and hair variations.
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Chapter 6: home
“They live entirely on milk, butter, honey, and the meat of black cattle, goats and sheep...having a great distaste for agriculture, believing that the nourishment afforded by cereals enfeebles, and is only suited to the despised tribes of the mountains...when cattle fail them they make raids on the tribes which they know to be in possession of herds. They say that engai (heaven) gave them all that exists in the way of cattle and that no other nation ought to possess any...they are dreaded as warriors, laying all waste with fire and sword, so that the weaker tribes do not venture to resist them in the open field, but leave them in possession of their herds, and seek only to save themselves by the quickest possible flight.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Maasai.” Countries and Their Cultures. advameg, inc. web. 20 nov. 2014. <http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Tajikistan-toZimbabwe/Maasai.html>. Moore, Tyler ray. “how to make Mead (honey wine).” Instructables. autodesk, inc. web. 15 Oct. 2014. <http://www.instructables. com/id/how-to-make-Mead-honey-wine/>. Saitoti, Tepilit Ole. Maasai. new york: abrams, 1980. print. “The Maasai people.” Maasai Association. Ole Maimai. web. 20 nov. 2014. <http://www.maasai-association.org/maasai.html>.
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INDEX
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acacia 57, 65, 74 africa 8, 13, 18, 70 africans 79 africans 8, 24 age 17, 18, 23, 67 age-group 79 alcohol 70, 71 amulets 31 animal-skin 17 anklets 18, 45 antelopes 53 arabs 8 asia 70 babies 31, 63 bacteria 71 barter 10 bead 18, 24, 31 beaded warrior belts 5, 35, 45 beads 5, 15, 17, 18, 23, 24, 36, 45 beadwork 18 beers 70 belt 45
beaded warrior belts 79 bib 18, 20, 28 black 17, 79 blood 28, 63, 65, 67 blue 17, 23, 28 bodies 17 body art 17 bone 24 border 13 bracelets 18, 24, 31 brass 24 bride 23 British 8, 10 butter 63, 79 buttons 36 calabashes 57 calf 17 capes 17 cartilage 33 cash 10 cattle 8, 10, 28, 36, 53, 54, 63, 65, 67, 74, 79 cereals 79 chicken 63
index
Christmas 57, 58 Church Missionary Society 77 cider 70 Claude levi-Strauss 71 clay 24, 40 cliďŹ&#x20AC; 13 cloth 17, 46 clothing 17, 63 colonization 8 color 17, 28, 40 colorful 18 copper 24 corn 8, 71 corrals 53 cotton 17 countryside 8 cowhides 17 cows 28 craft 18 crater 13, 50 cultivation 10, 67, 71 culture 18, 57, 71 dancing 23
decorate 17 decorations 18, 38, 45 design 23, 40 diet 63, 67 disease 8 dr. ludwig krapf 77 drought 10, 74 dung 74 dye 17 earlobes 32, 33, 36 earrings 18, 20, 28 east africa 13 ecologists 8 economy 10 egyptians 18 eland 53, 63 elderhood 11, 46 elders 11 elephants 53 engai 79 engangs 74 enkipaata 46 eunoto 46 europe 70
european 8, 10, 57 families 31 famine 10 fat 17, 39, 63, 65 feasting 46, 65 fermented 71 ferric oxide 40 fish 63 folktales 50 food 28, 36, 63, 67 fruits 70 gazelles 53 German 77 gifts 18, 45, 58 glass beads 17, 24 goat 36, 63, 65, 67 grain mash 70 grassland 13 grazing 10, 67 green 28 Guinea fowl 8 hair 8 hair styling 17 harambees 58 83
index
hardinian School of Thought 77 headbands 18 headdress 36, 46, 79 head shaving 17 herders 8 herding 8, 74 hides 17 holiday 5, 49, 57 homeland 13 honey 57, 63, 70, 71, 79 houses 46, 57, 74 ilamerak 63, 67 income 18 inkajijik 74, 77 inkang 74 integrate 10 intratribal 10 intricate 18, 40 ivory 18 jewelry 17, 18, 19, 24, 57 Jomo kenyatta 58 kanga cloth 46 kenya 10, 13, 18, 58, 77
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kraals 5, 73, 74 laibon 46, 50 lake Victoria 13 lamb 65, 67 leather 31, 39, 45 legends 50 leg painting 40 lions 36, 46, 74 livestock 63, 67, 68, 74, 77 Maasai 7, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 28, 31, 32, 36, 50, 53, 54, 57, 58, 63, 65, 67, 74, 77 Maasailand 8, 12, 13 Maguelonne ToussaintSamat 71 maize 8, 67 manyatta 46 married 23 marry 46 material 24 mead 57, 63, 67, 70, 71 meat 57, 58, 63, 65, 67, 79 metal objects 36
migrating 13 milk 28, 46, 63, 67, 79 modern 10 Moroyok 53 Morwak 54 motori 63 mountains 79 Mount kilimanjaro 13 multicultural 70 myth 53, 54 myths 13 natural 17, 24, 77 nborro 23 neck 23, 36, 65 necklaces 18, 24, 31, 36 nomadic 5, 73, 77 occasions 18, 57, 58, 63, 67 Olonana 50 olpul 65 Oltatuani 50 orange 28 ornaments 18 ostriches 8 ox 65
index
pendants 18, 19 piercing 5, 15, 33 pigment 8, 17, 40, 46 place 17, 33, 36 plaiting 39 poetry 36 population 8, 13 powers 36 protein 63, 67 ranching 10 recipe 70 red 8, 17, 28, 40 region 13, 74 reverend John rebmann 77 rinderpest 8 rituals 46 salt 63 sandals 17 savanna 13 scabbard 45 sex 17 sheepskin 17 shepherds 17
shuka 17, 57 skirt 17 slaughtered 28 slavery 8 social status 18 songs 36, 65 spears 8 spices 70 stock 8 stories 50 styles 17 styling 17, 39 sugar 71 sword 45, 79 tattooing 17 tea 57 techniques 10 toys 57 trade 10, 24 traditions 10, 70 tree bark 63 tribe 18, 24, 28, 53, 54 tribes 10, 18, 53, 79 twisting 39
Uganda 8 unga wa mahindi 67 Upper nile Valley 13 visitors 28 waistbands 31 warfare 10 warriors 8, 16, 17, 18, 36, 38, 45, 46, 53, 65, 74, 77, 79 water 28, 70, 71, 74, 77 wedding 23, 58 westerners 8 wheat 8, 10 white 28 wild game 63 wines 70 wood 24, 33 wool 39 yeast 70, 71 yellow 28 zebras 53
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IMAGE CREDITS
9 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 11 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 12 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 16 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 17 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 19 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 20 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 21 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 22 harvey, philip lee. Young Maasai bride on her wedding day. n.d. imagesource.com. web. 20 nov. 2014. 25 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print.
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image Credits
26-27 Unknown. Unknown. n.d. Johntyman.com. web. 25 Oct. 2014. 28 Unknown. Maasai beads. n.d. Maasaijournals.com. web. 25 Oct. 2014. 29 riso Studio. Maasai Man Headdress. n.d. entouriste.com. web. 20 nov. 2014. 30 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 31 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 32 warby, william. Maasai woman with stretched earlobes. 2008. wikipedia.org. web. 16 Oct. 2014. 32 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 37 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 38 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 39 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 40 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 41 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 42 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 43 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 44 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 45 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 47 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print.
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image Credits
47 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 51 Tørrissen, Bjørn Christian. Maasai men showing their traditional “jumping dance”. 2012. wikipedia.org. web. 5 Oct. 2014. 52-53 Unknown. Maasai Tribe. n.d. heleninwonderlust.co.uk. web. 26 Oct. 2014. 55 Unknown. Maasai Lighting a Fire the Traditional Way. n.d. heleninwonderlust.co.uk. web. 26 Oct. 2014. 56 Unknown. “WHO DA MAN?” n.d. Synthetica.ca. web. 8 nov. 2014. 59 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 62 pastor, Steve. Maasai Man. 2006. wikipedia.org. web. 26 Oct. 2014. 64 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 65 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 66 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 67 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 68 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 69 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 71 Fazel, Sajjad. A Honey Bee takes nectar from a flower as pollen grains stick to its body in Tanzania. 2011. wikipedia.org. web. 20 nov. 2014.
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image Credits
74 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 75 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 76 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 76 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 78 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print. 78 Beckwith, Carol. Unknown. n.d. Maasai. By Tepilit Ole Saitoti. new york: abrams, 1980. print.
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“An exciting, beautiful, and authoritative work...” — P eter Matthiessen “ The Maasai make almost no concessions to modern life, but Tepilit Ole Saitoti is an educated Maasai who writes with beauty and clarity of his people’s society. Carol Beckwith’s magnificent color photos... catch the essence of Maasai life as only one who has lived among them could do. This is a work to be treasured.” — H enry S. Hayward, The Christian Science Monitor “Maasai is a sensitive and compelling eulogy for a dignified people whose pace of life has been outdistanced by the modern world.” — Rob ert M. Peck, The Academy of Natural Sciences “The author recounts ancient Maasai legends and songs, and powerfully describes the vivid ceremonies that mark the passages in Maasai life. Everyday tribal life and the ceremonial high points are photographed with a clarity and eye for drama that make Maasai a breath-taking experience.” — J ane Stern, Connecticut Magazine
ISBN: 0-8109-8099-1