The Masai

I think most of you know I have a Masia warrior acting as night watchmen.  His role is to keep the accommodation safe at night.  There are a group of them, 7 at the last count who live in a hut next to my accommodation and look after all the different properties that are sponsored by the project.  Over the last few months I have got to know them better.  Ever since I went out and shared a few drams of whisky one night before they went on duty we have become very friendly. It has now become Bob’s ritual! They have a culture that still thrives and even these Masai that are working for the project keep to some of their traditions.  It is a very interesting culture and way of life.  They live mainly in Kenya and Tanzania.  The rituals of becoming a warrior are well documented and involve age-based rituals and ceremonies, including circumcision.  I wondered why they have this reputation for being fierce!!  The biggest role of the Masai culture is the role of the warrior and hence they make very good night watchmen because everybody is frightened of them. I have become very attached to them because once a week they perform the Masai Jumping Dance and sing their songs.  It is something to listen to and watch from my lounge window.  Each young man will jump as high as he can while others are standing in a circle and singing.  The voices of the men get higher as the jumping increases.  You can see from the photos that they allowed me to take that they achieve the most unbelievable height. These lads aren’t jumping in soft padded shoes.  In fact tonight I saw one jumping without shoes, on the hard concrete.  Yes they jump in the gazebo, which has a concrete floor.  What it does to their Achilles tendon I don’t know. I invited them all for lunch last Sunday.  Bob’s shepherd’s pie was on the agenda specially chosen for their culture.  The centre of all Masai culture is the tending of cattle. Shepherd!? Pie!? I think the connection was lost on them and anyway the shepherd’s pie became modified, as there was no oven because the electricity was off all day.  It’s amazing how you improvise when you have to and my camp cooking skills are still with me.  I cooked on two kerosene stoves.  I decided not to insist on a knife and fork!  Quantity was the order of the day and double portions went down well.  It was a very interesting afternoon as they hardly spoke a work of English and my Masai was somewhat missing.  But it’s amazing how you can converse with little common language.  Of course I bet you can guess what we finished with – yes a few more drams of whisky.  I attach some photos of them jumping but these lads, although fierce are also gentle as seen with Mama Gladness’s young daughter Elizabeth.  I am also now an honorary member of the Masia hence my new dress attire.  Happy days!!  I have Masai blanket and all the gear as you can see but I it was a little too draughty for me.