The initiation of a maasai warrior

A maasai boy bites a bulls heart during an initiation into an age group ceremony aug. Thousands of maasai boys were photographed taking part in a rare initiation ceremony in kenya. During this rite of passage, a bull horn is put in the fire, and one warrior must take out a piece before the horn is completely burned. The planning for this ceremony itself takes two months. The first initiation of a maasai boy is the enkipaata, a ceremony occurring. Traditionally, circumcision initiation was a way to elevate an individual from childhood to adulthood. The worlds of a maasai warrior by tepilit ole saitoti. The author of maasai lj 101580 now offers his life story. Maasai people, tribe, culture, women, warriors, language.

Apr 30, 2014 the passage is titled the initiation of a maasai warrior. The masai of kenya and tanzania are probably the most famous african tribe. The basic institution of social integration, however, is the system of agesets. Huge maasai ceremony in which warriors become young elders, called eunoto. Perhaps the most extreme example of a ritual designed to encourage survival of the fittest is the maasai lion hunt. The circumcision is done without anesthetic, which makes it quite painful. The event marks their passing into early manhood where some are chosen to be future maasai warriors. An autobiographical memoir revealing the traditional childhood, adolescence, and coming of age in maasailond also documents the authors life. Maasai male circumcision description by tepilit ole saitoti.

This rite of passage is one of the most important masai festivals it marks the coming of age of masai boys who are 1225 years old. Thousands of maasai boys take part in coming of age. This rite of passage helped maasai persons to find their place in the society. Maasai men, armed with only a spear and a shield, would hunt and kill a healthy. The maasai population, according to the 2009 census, was about 842,000, which was a significant increase from the 1989 census of 377,000.

Warriors of the maasai from the eunoto initiation ceremony to their famous jumping dance. The language is closely related to nuer, kalenjin, and dinka languages. A maasai warrior writes about the process of his initiation as a warrior. Tepilit, circumcision means a sharp knife cutting into the skin of the most sen sitive part of your body. They are tall and lanky, usually dressed in bright red cloth and lots of beads.

A ceremony was made in order for everyone to know he was now a responsible and mature man. To become a warrior he first had to be circumcised. In this neverbeforereleased archival lecture from 1980, maasai warrior, author, and leakey foundation grantee tepilit ole saitoti discusses. The masai warrior a key tradition of the masai tribe. During the ceremony, warriors are not allowed to carry weapons. The initiation of a maasai warrior by tepilit ole saitoti, tells the story of a maasai w, who writes about his process of his initiation as a warrior. Emanyatta is a warriors camp kraal with 30 to 40 houses.

How girls education intersects with maasai culture in kenya. The maasai youth cultural transition sudan tribune. Traditionally, moran are the maasais warrior class made up of brave. Dec 26, 2019 the maasai speak the maa language that is categorized as one belonging to the nilosaharan language family.

They often look very impressive with their beaded long hair, fierce red clothing, and shield and spear. Maasai is taught in schools to some extent, though the languages of instruction are swahili and english. Maasai lion hunt perhaps the most extreme example of a ritual designed to encourage survival of the fittest is the maasai lion hunt. The maasai warriors did not just go out and hunt lions because they can. An essay or paper on the worlds of a maasi warrior. Circumcision initiation elevates an individual from childhood to adulthood. Through unprecedented access to the threeday ceremony, the film documents the process by which maasai boys and young men in kenyas shampole region come of age. Enkipaata, emuratta, eunoto, eokoto ekule, enkang oonkiri, olngesherr, are the most popular rite of passages and ceremonies in the maasai society. The term maasai refers to one who speaks the maa language. Even though it not easy to ignore the influence of the outside world and modern culture, the maasai have adapted uniquely, integrating modern ways of life with their.

The most important information for me in the worlds of a maasai warrior, the autobiography of tepilit ole saitoti, has to do with the inevitability of change and the capacity of saitoti to adapt to that change. Young boys are sent out with the calves and lambs as soon as they can toddle, but childhood for boys is mostly playtime, with the exception of ritual beatings to test courage and endurance. Thousands of maasai boys take part in coming of age ceremony. They put on black cloaks and ostrich feather headdresses. The warrior who does this will have bad luck for life, but if no warrior does this, the whole ageset will have bad luck. Maasai culture ceremonies and rituals maasai association. You can face only one direction until the operation is completed. It takes a day to destroy a house, and months, maybe years, to build a new one. From the traditional music and cultures of kenya, a multimedia encyclopaedia dedicated to all kenyan tribes, including music and dance, history, culture, society, religion and beliefs, rituals and daily life, fables, legends, riddles and proverbs. This rite of passage happens in a camp with about twenty houses. The artist that carved this warrior originates from kenya. Filmed by jandries groenendijk, it is part of the secrets of the maasai.

The rite of passage that a maasai warrior must endure involves them being publicly circumcised. Maasai rituals and cerimonies however, there is a maasai belief bearing a warning for future generations. Growing up maasai on the african savanna by joseph lemasolai lekuton. Under this system, groups of the same age are initiated circumcised into adult life during the same open initiation period. The maasai are a nilotic ethnic community in kenya, internationally known for their distinctive culture, rituals, high jumping dance, custom dress, and being courageous warriors. Except for some elders living in rural areas, most maasai people speak the official languages of kenya and tanzania, swahili and english. This ceremony will make a senior warrior into a junior elder. Kenyas maasai mark rite of passage with elaborate ceremony. An african hand carved wooden maasai carving of a traditional maasai mare warrior with shield in one hand and spear in other. A lifechanging rite of passage for maasai warriors of tanzania. The initiation of a maasai warrior be prepared to be amazed. It was written by tepilit ole saitoti, as a personal narrative.

Acces pdf the initiation of a maasai warrior cultural readings the initiation of a maasai warrior cultural readings as recognized, adventure as well as experience just about lesson, amusement, as capably as accord can be gotten by just checking out a ebook the. The maasai community has held on to traditions that govern their way of lifeincluding wealth distribution, law and order, marriage, rites of passage and disciplinefor centuries. Lion hunting experience allowed the maasai warriors to show off their fighting ability on a nonhuman target. First, the boys must give away everything that they own.

Once the boys become warriors they resume responsibility of security for their territory. His story illustrates a memory of his very own rite of passage. Refile correcting grammar a maasai boy bites a bulls heart during an initiation into an age group ceremony near the town of bisil, kajiado county, kenya, august 23, 2018. The first initiation of a maasai boy is the enkipaata, a ceremony occurring before circumcision. By killing lions, maasai warriors protect their livestock and offically become men. One of the last rites of passage that a warrior will have to complete is the orngesherr. The worlds of a maasai warrior by tepilit ole saitoti paperback. Reading response the initiation of a maasai warrior. The divine presence that is achieved in eunoto affects the whole maasai community and protects the junior warriors as they progress in their lives. Nov 14, 2012 i will be referring to two stories that demonstrate the differences between the two cultural practices. The maasai have a number of patrilineal clans grouped into two classes, or moieties.

The maasai, masai or maa language is a member of the east niolitic branch of the nilosaharan language family spoken by about 900,000 people in southern kenya and northern tanzania. You may not even know it, but you have likely seen photos of a masai warrior. The maasai is one of the few tribes in africa that still live life the way they have for decades, honouring their culture, traditions and history. Then, the village elders perform the initiation rights on each boy inside a small tent, where they are circumcised. Aug 24, 2018 thousands of maasai boys were photographed taking part in a rare initiation ceremony in kenya. The passage is titled the initiation of a maasai warrior. Young maasai warrior a junior moran with headdress and markings. Ewns christa eybers spent a week in the masai mara in kenya and learnt more about the maasai people. The masai warrior a key tradition of the famous masai tribe. Traditionally, moran are the maasais warrior class made up of brave and strong young men who defend the community. The initiation of a maasai warrior by lillian bacon on prezi.

Entering a world of longheld rituals and traditions, this program examines the ancient tribal initiation of the maasai warrior. The initiation of a maasai warrior cultural readings. Metiaki is part of an ageset that is transitioning into a council of junior elders, paving way for a new crop of morans warriors. Of all initiations circumcision is the most important rite of passage in the maasai society. Thousands of maasai boys take part in coming of age ceremony to. The initiation of a maasai warrior tepilit ole saitoti tepilit, circumcision means a sharp knife cutting into the skin of the most sensitive part of your body.