Beautiful, proud and colourfully dressed, they are still very close to their traditional way of life. Always witty and genial the Maasai are a Nilotic tribe of pastoralists who until very recently led a semi-nomadic life. They own and manage large tracts of what is called the Masai Mara region. Masai Mara means “the dotted land of the Maasai” and Maasai means “we the people”. Their main businesses are conservation, tourism and cattle. The Mara conservancies, of which Saruni Basecamp is an important partner, are owned and managed by the Maasai, in cooperation with the tourism industry.
Their home, the Masai Mara, is famous for its unique concentration of wildlife, birds, rich vegetation and open savannah. It has been classified among the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ due to the extraordinary annual migration (July to November) when over 1.3 million wildebeest and zebras cross from the Serengeti in search of greener pastures.
Read More
The Maasai arrived, in what is today Central Kenya, from the Sudan between 500 and 1,000 years ago. A fascinating hypothesis suggests that the Maasai – warriors and soldiers by instinct – are the descendants of a lost Roman legion that either deserted or became lost in the southern fringes of the Roman Empire. A few details of their dress and habits support this theory. For example, the sword that every Maasai man keeps on hand is identical to the daga of the Roman legionnaires as well as their shields and sandals.
In addition, the red colour of the traditional Maasai “shuka” is similar to what is believed to have been the uniform of the soldiers who were fighting for the Roman Empire. Traditionally the Maasai lived on a diet of blood and milk and no household is without cattle as they are the ‘money’ and ‘bank accounts’ of the Maasai. For this reason, cattle are rarely killed and eaten as they represent the owner’s wealth. Goats and sheep are also important in the Maasai life and economy.
The Maasai house is a ‘boma’ which is often a circular group of small huts built of mud and cows’ dung. Around the entire compound, there is always an enclosure to protect the cows and goats from the unwanted attention of predators during the night. The Maasai have been deliberately slow in catching up with the modern world. Their attitude is one of respectful lack of interest towards many of the ‘necessities’ that we regard as essential to modern life, from formal education to technology, from transport to access to the media. Of course, things are changing, but the Maasai are not too keen to join in the rush for globalization. However, it would be wrong to think of the Maasai as simple and noble ‘savages’.
Politics are a passion and also a duty for every Maasai man, who is not afraid to spend long hours in sophisticated debates and meetings. The intricacies of Maasai hierarchy, rivalries and internal disputes are as fascinating and as complex as the equivalent debates in Moscow, Washington or London. Tough negotiators and fearless fighters in real or metaphorical battles, the slim and elegant Maasai are much more than a walking picture. While on safari with us, you will be able to meet the Maasai warriors and their families. Most of our employees are from the surrounding areas and are very keen to introduce you to their fascinating traditions.
