The Maasai et al

 While Wikipedia claims there are forty-two tribes in Kenya, my very knowledgeable Kenyan acquaintance, said the real figure is actually is forty-seven.

Forty two or forty seven, tribal politics in Kenya is something that would take me many moons to understand. So, after a mere two weeks, I would not be prepared to say I know anything about it.

Red is a dominant color among the Maasai, as it is said to repel lions. Third left is a Kikuyu

However from the little I was able to glean, the Kikuyu is the dominant tribe. Not not only are they largest in number, but in the true spirit of 'divide and conquer,' when the British ruled Kenya with an iron hand, they gave 'special privileges' to that tribe.

Even  today therefore, they are still dominant in every area.

Lessons in changing a tire

.

Kenyans, I understand, tend to vote along tribal lines, and the Kikuyu have held the reins of power since independence. 

This has led to some resentment among other tribes, and between 2007-2008, serious violence erupted after the general elections.

Maasai approach to observe the tire-changing activity
Some Kikuyus contend that this stemmed from as an attempt to displace and even eradicate them. They insist they won the elections fair and square.

Ask just anyone in Kenya 'who controls the wealth in the country'  and they will most likely tell you its the Kikuyus.

Even some Kikuyus though, will admit that that the government led by Kenyatta is extremely corrupt.

 

However, many contend that they have to keep voting for them to protect themselves from the other tribes which would like to remove them from power and even eliminate them. '

Maasai herder at Ndong Mountain

I was invited by a Kikuyu informant who is an activist, to ask anyone from other tribes, what they thought of them and did try.

One opinion I did get was that that the Kikuyu are so power-hungry, that they are even trying to replace Swahili as the national language with their own! 

(Like in most of East Africa, Swahili is the dominant language but most people speak some English plus their tribal language.)

Another bit of information I garnered, was that, types of professions and employment usually follow tribal lines.

So while the Kikuyu dominate commerce, many professions and politics, some other tribes are predominantly laborers.

 The Luo tribe to which Obama's family belongs, is the fourth largest tribe in the country and they tend towards intellectual activities.  I was quite amused though, that when I enquired of my Kikuyu informant whether Kenyans celebrated the ascendency of Obama to the  presidency of the USA, I received the cryptic response "The Luo did.")😂

I was genuinely shocked as I had (wrongly) assumed that Kenyans all, would have been overjoyed to have a descendent of theirs, in the Oval Office. But the more I learnt about that county, the more I realized that most Kenyans did not care too hoots about America, what they said or did and most surely would even accept their money!.

The offending creek

That caused my curiosity about the tribal situation in Kenya to really peak!

One person even told me that she could tell what tribe someone belongs to by their body shape!

I can only tell who belongs to the Maasai tribe, and that is because of how they dress.

They are best known internationally as a result of their intimate knowledge of wildlife, which is the heart of Kenya's safari/tourism industry.

While Kenya has a population of some fifty million, the Maasai make up only around two million.  

Despite the massive changes taking place around them, they seem determined to stick to their traditional nomadic/herding ways.

Their wealth is determined, I was told, by the number of cattle they have and most of their land is community owed.  

You therefore see the herders with their flocks of sheep, cattle and goats, roaming lands which are not fenced off.

 I was told by Chief Johnathon from the village near to where we stayed, that individuals can purchase private property by applying to the government. How much land you are permitted to purchase, depends on the size of the family. Most however prefer to continue using community lands.

Chief Johnathon (minus his staff!)

My first encounter with Maasai people was when we were on the way to spend a few days at a safari camp.

We drove for around three hours from Nairobi on an excellent highway. To get to the camp in Maasai land however, we had to take a dirt tract which could only be accessed by a four wheel drive.

As we crossed a creek, there was a loud bang, followed by signs that we had a puncture.

Then it was as if from nowhere, that a small a group of mostly women,  appeared. 

And guess what, they were anxious to take photographs with us, as long as we paid them!

All the Maasai people I met over the next few days, turned out to be extremely curious but nice, helpful people.

Their village adjoins the conservancy where we were staying and in fact that land was leased to the operators by that village council.  Most of the workers therefore were from the  village.

I learned some interesting facts about their lifestyle.

A Massai compound

⚉ Most have Angelified first names but their surnames are their tribal name.

⚉ While the men are generally the herders, the women are housewives and even build the mud houses!

⚉ Maasai in general do not eat wildlife anymore.

⚉ You know who is the chief by how he holds his staff.

⚉ You know a Maasai's wealth by how many cattle he appears to have, but never ask a         Massai how many cows he owns!

⚉ To have respectability a Maasai man should have at least two wives.

The Kenyan tribal situation appears fascinating and even contradictory at times, and it is is something I would certainly love to learn a lot more about.

However, AS TO THE MAASAI, I MAKE NO JUDGEMENTS. AS I GET IT I REPORT IT!😒😒 

(169) Joan Williams, author - YouTube