African Culture Today: Gain Insight into the Maasai Tribe of Kenya

Kenya is home to almost 50 local tribes, including the Maasai people, famous icons of African culture.

Descended from Bantu, Nilotic, and Afro-Asian peoples, the cultural diversity of Kenya is part of the nation's charm. Of the Bantu tribes, the Kikuyu are the most populous in Kenya, and the Kalenjin tribe produces world-class athletes. From the Afro-Asiatic groups Kenya takes its’ Lingua Franca Swahili, but it is the African tribes of Nilotic descent that are synonymous with East African safaris – the Samburu, Turkana, and of course, the Maasai tribe. 

The Maasai Tribe of Kenya 

Synonymous with East Africa, the Maasai are people who speak the ‘Maa’ language. Tall and striking in appearance, their red robes stand out against the blonde grass of the African savannah. Whether standing, dancing, herding cattle, or walking amongst wild animals, images of the Maasai tribe are iconic. As nomadic pastoralists history has forced the Maasai people into an unlikely partnership with the African wilderness, tourism, and conservation. 

Who are the Maasai people? 

Translated, the Maasai are people who speak the ‘Maa’ language. Spreading across northern, central, and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, the Maasai were once the most dominant African tribe in the region. Arriving in the 16th and 17th centuries from the Nilo-Sahara area, they brought with them their cattle and acumen for battle. They quickly gained dominance in the area and expanded to their peak around the 19th century when agrarian settlements and the arrival of Europeans ushered in a period of decline.  

Today there are about 22 sub-tribes within the Maasai people, each with its own dialect, appearance, and customs. These ‘iloshon’ or ‘nations’ are the Dalalekutuk, Keekonyokie, Ilchamus, Ildamat, Ilkaputiei, Ilkirasha, Ilkisonko, Ilooldokilani, Laikipiak, Laitayiok, Larusa, Loitai, Loitokitoki, Matapato, Moitanik, Parakuyo, Purko, Salei, Samburu, Siria, Sirinket, and Wuasinkishu. 

Because they were nomadic, the Maasai tribe inhabited vast tracts of land, moving from place to place in search of grazing land for their cattle. As East Africa became more populated, the Maasai were gradually pressured out of their best grazing land and into more arid territories. In the mid to late 20th century, much of their land was taken away and turned into protected wildlife areas. Living on the outskirts of these wildlife sanctuaries and needing grazing for their cattle created conflict between national parks, the Maasai people, their cattle, and wildlife. In an unexpected turn of events, through the massive growth in safari tourism and the formation of conservancies, the Maasai have become custodians of the natural world. Today the Maasai tribe is an integral part of Kenya’s economy and stands at the forefront of conservation efforts to preserve Kenya’s wildlife. 

A Brief History of the Maasai Tribe

Originally from modern-day Sudan, the Maasai people migrated south in search of better grazing for their cattle. They arrived in East Africa around 1700 and continued past Lake Turkana, and through Kenya’s highlands, before settling in the vast savannahs of Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. 

Semi-nomadic pastoralists, the Maasai believe that god created the Maasai first, and then lowered cattle to earth via a woven rope. After this, the rest of mankind was created. Therefore, for the Maasai tribe, to not own cattle is to be truly poor. This was both their strength and their downfall. When the land was abundant, the Maasai people thrived as their animal husbandry skills ensured their wealth. However, by the 19th century, the Maasai were in decline, victims of the battle between pastoralists and agriculturists. As settlements became more advanced and organized agrarian societies became stronger, the Maasai people lost their ascendancy.  

In the late 19th and early 20th century, the Maasai were struck a triple blow. In 1897 and 1898 the rains failed to cause widespread drought, cattle-related diseases decimated the Maasai herds killing up to 90% of their cattle, and finally, a smallpox epidemic raged. During this period as many as two-thirds of the Maasai population died. 

The Maasai tribe survived the colonial era by fleeing to more arid and less desirable pastures. From about 1940, the Maasai have lost land at Ngorongoro, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Mt Meru, and Kilimanjaro, Amboseli, Nairobi National Park, Samburu, Masai Mara, Tsavo, Lake Manyara, and the Serengeti. Kenya’s independence from Britain in 1963 did not lessen pressure on the Maasai. The new independent Kenyan and Tanzanian governments continued their attempts to ‘modernize’ the Maasai tribe into a sedentary people.  

The Maasai today remain a proud people with deep cultural roots and strong African traditions. Their animal husbandry skills and their knowledge of the land are seeing a revival as they become an integral part of East African conservation strategies. 

Some facts about the Maasai Tribe in Africa

• The Maasai people are the southernmost Nilotic speakers  
• Women are responsible for trade and building huts 
• The Maasai were traditionally nomadic pastoralists 
• Maasai people believe that cattle were given to them by God 
• The Maasai refer to people without cattle as “Dorobo” which translates to “poor folk” 
• Oral stories hold that the first male progenitor of the Maasai tribe was created with a herding stick in his hand. 
• This African tribe drinks the blood of their cattle mixed with milk
• In the past, to become a man, young Maasai needed to kill a lion with a spear 

Where can you meet the Maasai people? 

The conservancy model was pioneered in the greater Amboseli conservation area in the 1990s. The model seeks to work with local Maasai communities for the benefit of all stakeholders. Communities lease land to tour operators and conservation groups for a fee. In addition to this, the communities are helped with critical services like clean water, schools, and health services. The conservation organizations work with the Maasai tribe in a mixed model that seeks to create high value in safari tourism which directly benefits the local communities by reducing animal conflict, creating jobs, and benefiting wildlife through increased awareness and better conservation. 

Many safaris to East Africa’s Masai Mara Conservancies include the option of a visit to a Maasai village for a small fee of around US$30. It must be stressed that these are not ‘cultural’ villages created for the benefit of tourists but rather, the homes of the Maasai who work as rangers, guides, and staff at lodges. Visiting a Maasai village is an excellent way to get a better understanding of these iconic Kenyan people and their African culture. 

Is it Safe to Meet the Maasai Tribe in Africa? 

Yes. The Maasai are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality. Kenyan safaris have thrown them a lifeline in a changing world that has allowed them to maintain their deep connection with the land. Kenyan safaris are safe and most Maasai people will welcome you into their villages to share their fascinating African culture and traditional practices. 

Why has the Maasai Tribe of Africa become so iconic? 

I think that it is down to a few factors. For a start, and on a purely superficial level, their bright red and blue robes stand out against the African plains creating color combinations that are both memorable and recognizable. Second, the fact that they drink the blood of their cows is both macabre and fascinating. Thirdly, because the Maasai people have been largely displaced by the creation of national parks and protected areas, they have increased visibility. This increased visibility is due first to the cattle grazing and proximity to the parks and secondly to their involvement in tourism and conservation. Finally, the Maasai are renowned for their refusal to modernize under external pressure but have continued for decades to preserve their cultural heritage and traditions. We all secretly cheer for the small guy standing up against a bully. The Maasai tall, agile, and proud with a spear in hand ready to fight lions are just that, an iconic image of Africa standing as a bastion against inevitable change.