Their unique lifestyle, jewelry and their deep love of cattle is a true insight to African culture. We can visit a Massai village in the Masai Mara, Kenya and in Arusha, Tanzania A truly interactive, informative and educational culture experience!
The Masai’s distinctive culture, dress and strategic territory along the game parks of Kenya and Tanzania have made them one of East Africa’s most internationally talked about tribes. Here’s how they got there:
The Masai speak Maa, a Nilotic ethnic language from their own origin in the Nile region of North Africa and it is said that they migrated south along the Nile valley arriving Northern Kenya in the middle of 15th century. They continued southward conquering all the tribes, steeling the cattle that were in their paths of movement and only arriving around the Rift Valley, South Kenya and near the capital of Tanzania around 19th century, where they settled to graze their cattle.
On the turn of the new century tragedy struck with an epidemic disease that attacked and killed large number of cattle. This was quickly followed by a huge drought that lasted years where half of the Massai tribesman and their cattle perished during this period. Not long after this, more than two thirds of the Massai’s land in Kenya was taken away by the British and the Kenya government created “ranches’ for the settlers to move around Kenya and Tanzania’s wildlife reserves and parks of which we can visit these tribes in and around the park areas today living traditional lives, herding their cattle and teachings to their children. They are certainly true warriors!
Check out the tours on offer that go to the Massai culture villages:
South East Adventure – SEA24 | Game parks & Gorillas – GAG28 | Kenya & Tanzania Adventure – KTA13
Image © Rebecca McCaig