The Masai People of Tanzania – The Masai people inhabit parts of Kenya and Tanzania. They speak the Maa language, which is closely related to the Samburu and Camus languages, with about half of the Masai population living in Kenya. The Masai are easily recognized by their distinctive culture and unique way of dressing.
The Masai People of Tanzania
In Tanzania, the Masai are primarily located in the northern part of the country. They are semi-nomadic pastoralists belonging to the Nilotic ethnic group and are believed to have migrated from the Nile Valley of Ethiopia and South Sudan around 1600 AD.
The Masai are known as fierce warriors, historically feared by neighboring tribes. They believed that their respected leader, Laibon Mbatiani, was a direct descendant of the mythical OlMasinta, the founder of the tribe.
The Masai economy depends heavily on livestock. They rely on their cattle for milk, blood, and meat, while cow dung is used for smearing the walls and floors of their homes. The Masai believe that all cattle belong to them, and if someone else owns cows, it is assumed they were stolen from the Masai.
Despite modernization, the Masai have managed to maintain their traditional lifestyles. However, they can no longer graze their cattle across large territories due to encroachment on their land. In the past, Masai men killed lions to prove their strength and win a woman’s favor. Young boys would also build new villages as a rite of passage into manhood. However, these practices have ceased.
Masai culture includes the removal of a bottom tooth during teenage years, as well as circumcision for both boys and girls. Elders perform the circumcision ceremonies, with old women circumcising girls, who are allowed to cry, while old men circumcise young boys, who are expected not to cry.
Challenges Faced by the Masai in Tanzania
The Masai people are widely known in Kenya and Tanzania, having settled close to wildlife national parks and grazed their cattle on these lands for many decades. However, they are facing forced evictions from their ancestral lands. Over 70,000 Masai live around the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania but are at risk of losing their land.
The Tanzanian government claims that areas like Loliondo and Ngorongoro, where the Masai live, are overpopulated, posing a threat to the ecosystem. There are plans to convert the Ngorongoro Conservation Area into a national reserve. Although the Masai have coexisted peacefully with wildlife, the government argues that their presence threatens conservation efforts, despite evidence that Masai pastoralism is compatible with wildlife and environmental conservation.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area alone attracts 70% of tourists visiting Tanzania, contributing to 52% of the country’s tourism revenue. The area also has the highest wildlife density globally, challenging the government’s narrative that the Masai threaten the ecosystem. Instead, critics believe the government’s stance stems from a desire to undertake other activities in these areas for its benefit.
In response, the government has withdrawn funding allocated for Masai healthcare and threatened to demolish Masai schools. Some Tanzanians consider the Masai primitive and believe their ancestral land belongs elsewhere. Over 349 Masai homesteads have been set ablaze, and calls to address human rights violations have largely gone unanswered.
Despite court orders to halt relocations until a final decision, the government declared the area a game-controlled zone just five days before judgment was due. The court later delayed its decision. Meanwhile, 31 Masai people have been injured during forced evictions, and Tanzanian police have used guns and tear gas to remove residents from their homes. 27 Masai people have been charged with murder, and several others have been detained as alleged illegal immigrants. Over 2,000 Masai have crossed into Kenya for safety, and many have lost cattle and face ongoing threats.
The government’s efforts to push the Masai toward “civilization” aim to impose a different culture on them. This transition threatens the Masai’s spiritual practices, as they would be separated from their sacred “Mountain of God,” which they believe houses their deity and serves as a site for sacrifices during times of crisis and celebration. The government’s actions have been criticized as violations of human rights.
Tourism and the Masai
Tourism has directly benefited the Masai people of Tanzania. Many Masai communities welcome tourists into their homesteads to learn about their way of life, where visitors can enjoy Masai traditional music and dance. The Maasai also sell handcrafted jewelry to tourists, which helps support their communities.
