Background Information

Name: Maasai/Masai is a linguistice term, which refers to the speakers of Eastern Sudanic language, often called Maa, of the Nilo-Saharan language family.

Language: The official language of the Masai was first recorded by missionary Rev. Dr. Johann Ludwig Kraft; it was published using the Roman alphabet with its vowels and consonants in 1854's Vocabulary of the Engutuk Eloik ob. The language is shared within Kenya and is known as the Olmaa language or Ol Maa. F, q, v, x, and z alphabet do not occur in the Masai language. Roughly 900,000 people in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania speak this language. Maasai refers to "one who speaks the Maa language".

Population: The 2009 census revealed that Kenya has a population of 38.6 million people. Kenya's population is currently said to be at slightly over 40 million; CIA World Fact book lists the Kenya population at 41.7 million in July 2011. The Masai make up only 7% of Kenya's population. It is estimated that 1 million of Kenya's population is Masai; however most Masai people do not agree to that being the actual number.

History: The Maasai, at times spelled Masai, of East Africa consists of 5 clans; ilmakesen, il-laiser, il-molelian, il-taarrosero and il-ikumai, although there have been claims of an actual number of 7. The Masai have said that they came from a crater or deep valley known at Endikir-e-Kerio, however it is known that they initially came from the North likely from the region of the Nile Valley in Sudan, northwest of Lake Turkana. Not until the 1830's were the Masai a collective nation, yet their reputation proceeded them as fierce warriors whose livelihood consists of livestock/cattle, hence the need for strong warriors to obtain territory for pasturing and additional cattle. During the 19th century their herds were destroyed due to a cattle virus obtained called Rinderpest and drought. Treaties or colonial agreements in 1904 and 1911 with the European Government moved the Masai out of the northern lands of Laikipia. The Masai livelihood today consists of cattle and benefit by way of the national parks in which a small percentage of money generated from them provide schools, health centers and construction dams. The national parks and reserves were initially the Masai's territory and are now Kenya's tourism sector.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Love of Cattle


The Maasai have a deep, almost sacred, relationship with cattle. Cattle represent "the breath of life" for many Maasai, and when given the chance, they choose herding above all other livelihoods. The Maasai are guided by a strong belief that God created cattle especially for them and that they are the sole custodians of all the cattle on earth. This bond has led them into a nomadic way of life by following patterns of rainfall over vast land in order to find food and water for their large herds of cattle. Opposed to the spiritual connection felt for cattle by the Maasai, they measure wealth by the number of cattle and children one has. The Maasai also depend on cattle for shelter, clothing, food, and cooking utensils.
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 22, 2013 at 6:07 PM

    I agree with the way the Maasai live. I am very passionate about animals, especially those that are endangered. In America, as well as other countries, they allow hunting, which lowers the population numbers of certain species. If the Maasai did the same thing, a lot of the native animals may have ended up extinct already. However, I believe that the Maasai cherish the animals of their homeland, which is one reason why they raise their own cattle. By raising their own cattle instead of hunting for their food, they secure themselves food to feed their families. It also an effective way to have a stable food source, since they can breed their cattle. I also like that they use every part of the cow and don't let any part go to waste, since they use their skin as shelter and clothing, and their bones for cooking utensils. If anything, we can learn from the Maasai.

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  2. UnknownNovember 26, 2015 at 12:44 PM

    protecting nature is the command from GOD.We maasai can't survive minus livestock cause it is the source of income

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