The Maasai

The Maasai people are a Nilotic African ethnic group living in East African between Kenya and Northern Tanzania (near the Indian Ocean). East Africa lies just under the equator. Kenya is among low plains and central highlands making this region one of the most successful agricultural regions in Africa. The climate in Kenya is usually tropical along the coast, but the climate in the northern east part of Kenya is arid (lacking water availability, agriculture growth, animal life, and vegetation)Kenya receive a great number of sunlight throughout the year. It is usually cool at night and early mornings. Heavy rainfall usually occurs during March through June. Little rainfall usually occurs during the months of October, November, and December. Although this region receives rainfall, the temperatures are high, and there are high levels of humidity. Kenya has a considerable portion of this region is to wildlife and sharing this land with "The Big Five" animals:lions, leopards, buffalo. rhinoceros, and elephants. 

                                                                                                                                  

               

Physical and Cultural Adaptations among the Maasai

Masai woman with physical characteristic of deep dark skin color and a shaved head.

Physical adaptations of the Maasai tribe are their deep dark skin tone complexion. This population are under intensive sunlight. Their environment is a desert. In order for this tribe to adapt this kind of climate, the skin must produce more melanin to fight against ultraviolet rays that the sun provides. Shaved heads are common among the Maasai tribe, and it is common in women as well. Besides ritual purposes for shaving heads, it reduces body temperature,and the thick coiled, course hair protects the scalp against sunlight. Having longer hair would mean more body warmth. Research published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" found that the Maasai demonstrate some unique biological characteristics. Despite their high-fat diet, they have consistent low levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein with no indication of atherosclerosis. The study suggested that the Maasai possess a cholesterol-absorption control that compensates for dietary cholesterol. An absence of cholesterol gallstones was also noted. The study concluded that these positive realizations may reflect a long-term biological adaptation of the tribe. Another physical adaptation was related to blood pressure. Analyses performed on subjects from tribal and non-tribal Maasai found differences in physical characteristics, pulse rate and systolic blood pressure, as published in "Annals of Human Biology." The non tribal sample had significantly higher blood pressure than the tribal members. The tentative conclusion was that blood pressure is affected by change in environment, and the effect on cholesterol levels may be longer-term.
  Cultural adaptations among the Maasai tribe are their distinctive clothing,diet, currency,and how their homes are built. The Maasai people are clothed throughout the whole year. They replaced animal skin, calf hide, and sheep skin with commercial cotton cloth.  Their diet consists of meat, milk (majority of it), grains, beans, and the blood from the cattle (rarely). Their diet lacks supply of iron, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin c, thiamine, and energy.the Maasai Society are cattle centered communal. Cattle to the Maasai are what 401Ks and saving accounts to the Americans.
Because of the available resources, their houses are constructed of mud, sticks, cow dung, human urine, and ash. The cow dung ensures no moisture or water leakage of their houses also known as Inkajijik. The villages are enclosed in a circular fence by a throned native tree to keep their cattle, cows, and goats safe from wild animals at night.

Maasai bomas are hand made huts constructed with cow dung and mud. The word boma however is also used when referring to the circular 'fencing' (made from thorny Acacia trees) that encircle the group of huts.

     
Language
Although the Maasai people thrive and are stressed to learn and speak English, their native language is Maa. It is a language under considerable stress as more and more Maasai learn and adopt English and Swahili in school, in their homes and in the workplace. Their culture and traditions are being rapidly eroded, since Maasai children never learn to read or write in their mother tongue in school, and thus have virtually no conception of the basics of its grammar. The Maa language has 30 constructive sounds (consonants), and nine vowels. Approximately 900,000 Eastern Africa speak this language (predominantly in Southern Kenya and Tanzania).

The Maasai people shown here are speaking English.  

Gender Roles Among the Tribe
The Maasai culture is a male dominant society, and the Maasai must follow certain customs in order to engage in their culture. Circumcision is practiced among both men and women (which influences their place in the culture). Age and gender among the Maasai are factors in which how the Maasai socially interact. I will first explain the woman's role in the culture.

The Woman's Role
There are two categories for girls in this tribe: circumcised and uncircumcised girls. The Intoyie are girls who are uncircumcised, and if the woman is not circumcised, she cannot marry. She would only have sexual intercourse with the Illmuran (which are young warrior of the tribe),she would only be seen as a sexual object than sought after for love. If a Maasai woman is circumcised, she would then be eligible for marriage and ready for immediate starting a family (only for the elder warriors). The Maasai mothers are the ones who teach the daughters the Illmuran ideals, and they cannot express their TRUE feeling, but the Maasai women were allowed to scorn and express their feelings about men in songs. The women have less rights than men. The Maasai women are not allowed to be in the house when the elders are eating. The women re the ones who are in charge of raising the children and household chores. 

The Maasai women are in charge of household duties such as collecting water, cooking, and taking care of the children.

The Man's Role
The Ilayiok are boys who have not gone through circumcision. They have a harder upbringing than boys who are circumcised. They do not have access to cattle but to small stock and calves. They are constantly ridiculed and humiliated by the village and endure hunger and physical hardships. They have to go to ongoing mental and physical examinations, so circumcision is the way to go if a boy wants to strive in this culture. Once the boy has gone through circumcision, the boy is ready for manhood, and he is then an Illmuran which is a young warrior. As a Illmuran, you are given more status among the tribe. If men show a sign of pain, they are beaten and bring shame to the family.

From childhood, Maasai men are socially taught to strive to be brave and tough to be Illmuran warriors when they are older.

Economy
"Meishoo iyiook enkai inkishu o-nkera"- (May Creator give us cattle and children)

Livestock such as cattle, goats and sheep are the primary source of income for the Maasai. Livestock serves as a social utility and plays an important role in the Maasai economy. Livestock are traded for other livestock, cash or livestock products such as milk and siege. Individual, families, and clans established close ties through giving or exchange of cattle. Cattle and children are the most important aspect of the Maasai people.The Maasai economy is increasingly dependent on the market economy. Livestock products are sold to other groups in Kenya for the purchase of beads, clothing and grains. Cows and goats are also sold for uniform and school fees for children. It is now common to see young Maasai men and women in major towns and cities of Kenya selling, not just goats and cows, but also beads, cell phones, chacoal, grain among other items. The entrepreneurial spirit is something new in our society. 

The Maasai are cattle centered.

  
Marriage Patterns and Patterns of Descent
For both men and women, marriage can only take place once they have been circumcised. And in order for the man to marry a woman, he needs to own four cattle, three calves, one bull calf, three goats, copper wire, and honey to produce beer. The man selects a "best man", and they are both welcomed to the bride-to be's home (where they are welcomed) and beer is then given. A necklace is given to the bride as a symbol that she is married (which other women cannot wear that kind of necklace that the married woman wears). There is dancing throughout the whole ceremony, and a ram is sacrificed for the unity of the two. 
Any inheritances or descent is done through the male line. Women are not the ones who own the livestock, and when men get married there are given cattle to support the his new family.

Social and Political Structure
The Maasai live in clans which consists of six to twelves bomas in their clan, and the nuclear family of the husband and wife, children from previous relationships are not to live among the clans. Although the nuclear family of the husband is still entitled to the benefits of the livestock, because it was once their cattle. Each Maasai who had livestock and was independent (owns a boma and livestock) belonged to a locality, and there each Maasai is primarily identified to oloshon (the section where he lives). And within that section, men had their ranches, and they are to sustain their section with their livestock and farming. The Maasai are patrilineal they are to remain within the father's clan throughout his whole life. In each clan, they have the same basic branding to be identified. The more the Maasai has in cattle the more powerful he is in decision making among the clan.

Religion and Artistic Expression
The Maasai believe in a god named Ngai, and it neither male or female. It is said it has different aspects, like when they pray , it is said "Naamoni aiyai" which refers to "She to whom I pray". The religious beliefs of Maasai were that the God Ngai was seperate by land and sky, and Ngai gave cattle to the Maasai. Cattle which also plays an important role in their religion as well. The Maasai people have a lot of ceremonies.There are ceremonies for age-sets when a boy becomes a man and ceremonies for women to become fertile for their new family. A popular art form among the Maasai is display dancing. The women , girls, and warriors are decorated on their whole body and on their clothing there are colorful beads and ornaments.

Cattle are very important even in their religious beliefs cattle bring luck and fortune to the family. 

Bibliography
 "New England Journal of Medicine:" Some Unique Biologic Characteristics of the Masai of East Africa; Kurt Biss, M.D. et al; 1971

"Annals of Human Biology:" Biological Variations Associated with Change in Lifestyle Among the Pastoral and Nomadic Tribes of East Africa; José Day; 1979

The Massai Language <http://www.omniglot.com/writing/maasai.html>

http://maasaiinfo.wikispaces.com/Marriage

http://www.africafiles.org/atissueezine.asp?issue=issue4

ww.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Maasai-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html