Tanzania and Zanzibar

We were worried that we’d get a song and dance tour of the Maasai village but what we experienced showed respect for their culture and it was a real learning experience for us. And a little bit of a welcoming song and dance. Haha.

We have seen Maasai men, dressed in toga-like red blankets with long wooden poles, with their herds of cattle, goats or sheep by the side of the road almost the whole time we have been in Tanzania. We now understand why they are there after seeing the desert that they live in. They leave their compounds and take their animals long distances to find food.

Norton drove us to a compound and we were greeted by a young man named Danny. It isn’t his Maasai name but easy for us to say. A traditional greeting song was sung and we were welcomed into the family compound.

The Maasai measure a man’s wealth by the number of cattle (herd of 50 is good) and the number of children he has. They have several wives and first get married when they are about 24 or 25 years old. Originally they qualified for a wife once they killed a lion. The dad chooses a good wife for his son from another family grouping. Each wife gets their own small stick and mud/cow dung hut that has been built by the women in the family.

Danny told me that there is no jealousy or anger between family members. They live peacefully and work together with no fights. It is what they believe in. Women do whatever the men ask them to do without questioning.

The compound is surrounded by a round fence made of sticks and brush. In the centre there is a corral for their cows. Around the corral, there are huts for wives and little children, one hut for teen girls and another for teen boys. Two huts were for baby cattle. The hut had one room with two sleeping areas and a tiny fire pit.

Traditionally, they do not hunt or eat vegetables or fish but feed exclusively off their cattle plus cows’ milk and blood.

Boys are circumsized in a ceremony when they are between 12-25 years old. No anaesthetic or crying out. Then he is accepted as a warrior..

There are no outhouses or toilets. Danny told us that they just go outside of the compound in the desert. We were able to ask him many questions that he was happy to answer.

Then it started to rain - a welcome rain in that dry spot. We went into a hunt and sat on bags of animal feed until the rain stopped. It wasn’t long. After that the ladies showed us their colourful bead work while the kids played in the puddles. We bought a couple of bracelets.

At the end of the time we were with them, we pulled out the parachute and played a few simple games with all the kids and the men. They had a lot of fun flipping an empty water bottle into the air.

Following the Maasai visit we went to a centre called the Tanzanite Experience. We watched a film about this gemstone, went into a simulated mine and looked at the beautiful jewelry made from this stone.

It was a really full day! And it was hot. As soon as we got back to the hotel, we jumped into the pool. We were the only ones using it.

There was no power at the hotel until almost dinner time. How the cooks were able to put together a full dinner was amazing. The generator kicked in and the lights came on. Dinner was ready magically.

Then a little miracle happened. Prista, our morning guide,went back to the area where Gail figured she lot her hearing aid. She offered a reward to any kid that found it and a pile of kids went through the area with a fine tooth comb. They found it!!!! It was a good ending to a wonderful day.Baca lagi