Colonialism

The Datoga were Nilo-Hamitic speaking pastoralists, who lived in this area more than 300 years ago, were displaced by the Maasai. Now there are around 42,200 Maasai living in the Ngorogoro Conservation Area, living off the flocks of cattle, donkeys, goats, sheep and selling honey to gawpers. During the rains they move out on to the open plains; in the dry season they move into the adjacent woodlands and mountain slopes. They may range wherever they like, but are forbidden to live or cultivate in the crater.
This is a traditional Masai boma (fortified house) providing shelter for humans and animals against 4 legged predators rather than 2 legged ones.
Running out of time now we returned to the park entrance. My pleas to visit the ruins at Engaruka resulted in numerous Swahili phone calls and eventually I discovered that Bakari had been released and the drivers would swap on the road. Again, my requests to go to Engaruka resulted in more Swahili phone calls and we continued along the road at 40 to 50 kph. By the time we got to the turn off for the ancient ruins there was an hour of daylight left and it was 55 km down a dirt road to the site. He told me it would take 2 hours to get there and I knew he would make it so if I insisted so I didn't.
So, I only saw half of what I paid to see. But Shika tours refunded half the amount I paid which was good.Read more