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Published: November 9th 2008
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The Maasai for Obama
I promised I would try to get this photo to Obama and let him know how excited people here in this village named Orbama are about his election! They are holding the Obama bracelets I bought.. As part of our safari trip, we had the opportunity to visit a Maasai village and go on a nature walk with some Maasai men. We had a diifcult introduction to the people as we waited at the gate of the Park the first day and were barraged with aggressive Maasai women trying to sell us things. Since there was little or no tourism in Kenya from January through the summer due to fears related to the election violence in January, people who relied on tourists are truly desparate. We bought a few things (expensive, but I see it as a donation...) and moved on.
The camp employed Maasai as greeters, and I had good conversations with one about politics, as I sat in bar one evening (drinking a Kenyan specialty made with honey, lemon, lime and vodka). The men are striking in their height, slenderness, and dress.
The group had decided not to visit a village (there are several near camp) which relieved me since I hate being a tourist and invading peoples' privacy so they can earn the money to feed their children...
So...our guides decided to hire a few educated Maasai to take us on
Children playing in the background
We were outisde the enclosure were the house are and where the cattle are kept at night. The enclosure is made of sharp thorned branches, and done by the men. a walk up a hill for a view of the Masai Mara and beyond to the Serengeti. They brought the young men to the camp, picked us up, and off we went, to find a good route for the hike.
We ended up outside a village, and by the time we got out of the van, there were at least 20 Maasai men of various ages gathered around, and obviously unhappy. It turned out that they did not want our guides, who were from another village, on their territory, making money. Things got heated, so we got back in the van, hoping the leave from another place to climb. It soon became clear that we were apt to be accosted anywhere we went on the hill, and at the very least asked for money...
We tried going in another direction, and the same thing happened, even though we were near the little trading town (run mostly by Somalis), and not a village. We gave up, and went back to the camp. I was really disappointed, since I wanted to hike in the bush!
Simon, our guide, decided to go to another village, and hire locals to take
us a hike. He came back, we set off again, and arrived at the village of Orbama (you might see where this is leading...) Our Maasai guides were two men who had been to school and were the liason between the outside worl and the villages. First, the men danced for us and then the women, including the 15 year old wife of the guide. Next we visited the village, and went into a house.
Many children were playing outside, building an elaborate maze from dirt. Some of the very young boys copied the dancing! Most children had flies on their eyes...flies were everywhere, since the animals are kept inside the village at night to protect them from lions, leopards..and other predators.
The men demonstrated how they make fires (using local cedar and elephant dung).. and then we had to look at the wares for sale...this used up so much of our time that the hike had to be cancelled..we just went for a short walk.
Because I was wearing my Obama button, and had asked for Obama bracelets (I had seen a man wearing one, made out of beads) I ended up spending more time talking
politics and answering questions (such has when was the inauguration and why did they wait so long after the election) than I did asking questions. I did ask about female circumcision (still done even though it's outlawed) and lion hunting (same response).
The level of poverty and the role of women are both shocking. But, the Maasai are intent in preserving their way of life. Is that good or bad? Their life style has worked for a long time, although many of the young men are turning to a western life style including pool and drink. Can you get clean water, health care, education, electricity, women's rights and maintain this type of life?
For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai
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