From beautiful landscapes to fantastic wildlife, Kenya is known for a lot of things. But Kenya is also known for one of the most famous tribes in the world, the Maasai. With a population of an estimated 900 000 people, the Maasai tribe is the indigenous, semi-nomadic ethnic group. They have settled in Kenya and northern Tanzania. The tribe is well known for its unique culture and traditions, so in this blog post, we share some of the wonderful and wild traditions of the Maasai tribe.
Drinking Cattle Blood
One of the weirdest and intriguing traditions that the Maasai tribe is known for is drinking cattle blood. Even though it may seem odd to the outside world, for the Maasai tribe, it is considered an honourable tradition. This tradition is reserved for special occasions such as when young men become men or when women give birth to a new member of the tribe. It is also known to get rid of hangovers.
Lion Hunters
Even though lion hunting is not permitted by the governments of both Kenya and Tanzania, back in the day, it was considered a rite of passage for young warriors. These warriors would hunt lions to prove themselves as brave and resourceful to the rest of the Maasai tribe.Â
Cattle Is Used As Currency
Like a lot of African tribes, the Maasai use cattle as a form of currency. Having an abundance of cattle is a symbol of social and marital status, as well as a form of trade. Some see cows as having the same value as a child.
Unburied Dead
Instead of the traditional western burial, the Maasai tribe perform a predator burial. The dead body is covered in cattle blood or fat and left in the bush for wildlife like lions, cheetahs, or vultures to feed on.
Women Build Homes
Even though the Maasai are strictly governed by elderly men, women build homes for everyone in the tribe. The Maasai tribe lives in huts known as inkajijik, which is made of cow dung, sticks, mud, and grass. Other responsibilities of women include cooking, and supplying the tribe with water and milk, while men hunt, build protective fences and care for the cattle.
Love Of Song & Dance
The Maasai tribe have become famous for their incredible singing and dancing. The tribe is one of few tribes to practice throat-singing, which mimics the sound of cattle calls. Whether the birth of a child or a marriage, the tribe celebrates by singing and dancing. The young men of the tribe dance by jumping high in the air while remaining as straight as possible. Dancing is also a way of flirting as the boy that jumps the highest is seen as the strongest and more masculine. Dancing isÂ
With so many beautiful, weird, and wild traditions, the Maasai is a tribe that needs to be preserved for generations to come.Â