A stereotypical image most people have of the
Maasai (Masai) warrior is that of a tall and slender man clutching a spear in one hand with his red cloth wrapped around his waist or over his shoulders. The
Maasai (Masai) men are also seen in a trance like state jumping in a uniform motion in one spot, this brings them to a trace like state and can go one for hours
The
Maasai (Masai) drink cows blood that they believe makes the body stronger and warmer and is good for children and the elderly to build up their strength. It is often drunk mixed with the milk of the cow. An arrow is shot at close range to puncture the jugular vein of the cow. The blood is drawn into a skin gourd and later mixed with milk to be drunk by the gathering. The animal is not left to bleed but is carefully tended to, till it fully heals. Their rites and traditional ceremonies are taken very seriously, and it is not common to allow outsiders to attend. Elders play a very important role in the community and society at large.
Typical House: Here are some more examples of houses of local manufacture that dot town and countryside in northern Tanzania,Arusha.
Maasai (Masai) women and girls have numerous chores besides building the dung hut, which take about 7 months. It is their responsibility to milk the cows and fetch water, whatever the distance may be. The
Maasai (Masai) women are also expected to pick calabashes or gourds from vines and clean the insides of the gourds as well as decorate them with leather and beads. A woman is by birth a member's of her father's family line and cannot own land or cattle. They are minors in society, always represented by their father, and later their husband. If a woman has no sons in her marriage she will be scorned and forced to beg in her old age, as she will have no possessions or money and no one to care for her.
Modern Iraqw Kitchen: This little structure was built at the Iraqw "cultural village" to show the difference between a "traditional" Iraqw kitchen (the cooking fire inside the house) and a contemporary kitchen, built separately from the house to eliminate the hazards of fire and smoke in the sleeping areas. Actually, people often have a brazier or method for heating the house and moreover, children gather near their mothers regardless of where the fire is located.
Iraqw Hidden House: Here you can see how the house is tucked into the hill. As the Iraqw man I met explained to me, Iraqw used to build such houses to reduce the likelihood of having their dwellings spotted from a distance--protection against pastoralists like the Maasai who might raid cattle from them. This house has been built in Karatu specifically as an educational "cultural village," much like you might visit pioneer houses in the US. It is decorated as an Iraqw house would have been decorated for a wedding. After Tanzania became independent, former President Julius Nyerere's government started a villagization program as part of their socialist vision. Houses like this one were discouraged in favor of taller houses that allow more air to circulate--reasoned to be healthier. The result is a certain degree of homogenization in styles of houses built from locally available materials.
A stereotypical image most people have of the Maasai (Masai) warrior is that of a tall and slender man clutching a spear in one hand with his red cloth wrapped around his waist or over his shoulders. The Maasai (Masai) men are also seen in a trance like state jumping in a uniform motion in one spot, this brings them to a trace like state and can go one for hours
The Maasai (Masai) drink cows blood that they believe makes the body stronger and warmer and is good for children and the elderly to build up their strength. It is often drunk mixed with the milk of the cow. An arrow is shot at close range to puncture the jugular vein of the cow. The blood is drawn into a skin gourd and later mixed with milk to be drunk by the gathering. The animal is not left to bleed but is carefully tended to, till it fully heals. Their rites and traditional ceremonies are taken very seriously, and it is not common to allow outsiders to attend. Elders play a very important role in the community and society at large. Typical House: Here are some more examples of houses of local manufacture that dot town and countryside in northern Tanzania,Arusha.
Maasai (Masai) women and girls have numerous chores besides building the dung hut, which take about 7 months. It is their responsibility to milk the cows and fetch water, whatever the distance may be. The Maasai (Masai) women are also expected to pick calabashes or gourds from vines and clean the insides of the gourds as well as decorate them with leather and beads. A woman is by birth a member's of her father's family line and cannot own land or cattle. They are minors in society, always represented by their father, and later their husband. If a woman has no sons in her marriage she will be scorned and forced to beg in her old age, as she will have no possessions or money and no one to care for her.
Modern Iraqw Kitchen: This little structure was built at the Iraqw "cultural village" to show the difference between a "traditional" Iraqw kitchen (the cooking fire inside the house) and a contemporary kitchen, built separately from the house to eliminate the hazards of fire and smoke in the sleeping areas. Actually, people often have a brazier or method for heating the house and moreover, children gather near their mothers regardless of where the fire is located.
Iraqw Hidden House: Here you can see how the house is tucked into the hill. As the Iraqw man I met explained to me, Iraqw used to build such houses to reduce the likelihood of having their dwellings spotted from a distance--protection against pastoralists like the Maasai who might raid cattle from them. This house has been built in Karatu specifically as an educational "cultural village," much like you might visit pioneer houses in the US. It is decorated as an Iraqw house would have been decorated for a wedding. After Tanzania became independent, former President Julius Nyerere's government started a villagization program as part of their socialist vision. Houses like this one were discouraged in favor of taller houses that allow more air to circulate--reasoned to be healthier. The result is a certain degree of homogenization in styles of houses built from locally available materials.
