A Look into the Maasai People

BY: MATT

The Maasai, a great name for such a mighty but yet compassionate people group.  Native to Africa, this tribe has been disturbed and displaced over the past few centuries, and has now come to “settle” peacefully in the great country of Kenya, Africa.  Although [more than] 500,000 strong, they are not a people group that is necessarily heard of outside of Africa.  However, their history has encouraged the Maasai people to have a very distinct and enriched culture that is fascinating to many who journey to their land.

[One] aspect of their culture that has influenced the ways of Maasai [life] the most is their religion.  Due to their belief that God or Enkai (also Ngai) created cattle and they all descended from the sky to them they believe that all the cattle in the world belongs to them. [Therefore, much of their lives are spent gathering cattle; historically if another tribe had cattle, the Maasai would attack the tribe to take their cattle believing Enkai created the cattle for them alone.] Their agricultural methods, developed from this belief, have led them to be semi-nomadic cattle herders.  Within their religion, they also have a very open mind when it comes to Enkai because Enkai is their creator.  As a way of bridging the gap that separates them from Enkai they sacrifice livestock.  The Maasai spend their lives dedicating themselves to Enkai, in the hope that they might become unified with Enkai.

In Maasai society, men and women have separate duties.  Men and boys are responsible for managing and raising the cattle, and some are warriors that defend their people; while the women are responsible for caring for the household, gathering food, and cooking.  In their society men [tend to be] very prideful, desiring to become powerful leaders and highly ranked among the Maasai.  [It is this pride that makes sharing the Gospel and Kingship of Jesus Christ difficult among the Maasai men.] The Maasai people are an amazing people, mighty in spirit, but still in desperate need of compassion and the work of God’s hand.  They have shown much courage and endurance to accomplish the things they know today.