Sandy-gram

[#1]

My daughter Sarah and I have flown to the Maasai (Masai) Mara National Reserve in Kenya where rolling grasslands and thickets of scrub bump against the banks of the Mara River. We are here to visit a Maasai village, the proud and indigenous people of the region. Famous as herders and warriors, the Maasai once dominated the plains of East Africa. Today, they continue to follow the traditional ways of life. Maasai men, often standing more than six feet tall, have a regal elegance with the traditional red checkered blankets (shukas) slung across their shoulders.

But, it is the women of the village who intrigue us.

Maasai women are tall and slender, adorned with large beaded necklaces and colorful dresses and shawls. They are homemakers, literally. Maasai women build the homes for the manyatta, or village, which are made from mud, sticks, grass and cow dung. The women also milk the cows and collect water, an often heavy and arduous task since their homes have no running water.

Cattle play an instrumental role in the life of the Maasai. Land isn't cultivated, so the Maasai diet is primarily made up of the blood, milk and meat that the cattle provide. Dowries for women consist of cattle given to the father of the prospective Maasai bride. Many Maasai men marry more than one wife, the number often dependent on the amount of cattle a man owns.

 

We soon understood why several wives were needed within a household. I spoke with the Chief's son to get a better perspective. I learned that the women not only build the homes and care for the livestock, but have responsibility for the children, meals, clothes and even the artwork and trinkets that are sold to visitors.

When asked what the men do, he replied smiling, "We make important decisions for the community."  Ah, clarity. It appeared to be an exhausting schedule (for the women), but these female Maasai seemed truly happy, and this lifestyle has worked for centuries-something we can't always say about today's modern lifestyle.

Before departing, the chief's son turned to me, seemingly quite impressed with my daughter. "Your daughter is beautiful; there are many men who would pay six cows or more for her hand in marriage."

A tempting offer to be sure, but with limited luggage space, I kindly thanked him and we made our way home.

Photos: Top right: Sarah and Sandy boarding a small plane in Kenya. Top left: A young Maasai woman poses shyly for a photo. Middle right: Women build the huts for the village. Bottom: The Chief's son speaks to us about the life of the Maasai.

 

A group of male warriors and elders enjoy some shade from the heat of the African sun while playing the game of Mancala. When they learned I also played, they encouraged me to join them, something they would never do with their own female counterparts.

[#2]

Interesting-- Sandy, I wonder why they let you play Mancala when they wouldn't normally let women join in? Do they usually play in same-sex groups or is it only a game for men? I can't find much information about it online.

[#3]

When I was visting Egypt, one of my travel companions started negotiating a trade with someone. I was worth a camel and two sheep, but was not amused.