Africa's Masai Find Kinship With Amish, Others in U.S.

Stefan Lovgren
for National Geographic News

June 28, 2004

Peter ole Mankura, a Masai pastor from Kenya, took one look at the Amish
farmer milking his cow and exclaimed, "They are our brothers!"

Ole Mankura is one of 15 Masai tribespeople from Kenya who recently visited the United States. During three weeks of shuttle diplomacy, the Masai cattle herders squeezed in a trip to an Amish farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they found their brethren.

"I never thought there were people like that in America," said ole Mankura. "They didn't have electricity or automobiles, only horses and buggies. And they have a lot of cows, just like the Masai."

Later, the group represented the Masai tribe at the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. There, they found that most indigenous groups face similar challenges as the Masai: poor education, inadequate health services, shrinking land, and a lack of water.

Late rains and a lack of access to water are taxing the Masai's well-being and livelihood in a number of lowland Kenyan districts.

"We are livestock keepers who live a seminomadic way of life, always moving in search of water," said Francis Nkitoria, a group member who runs a Masai advocacy group called Simba Maasai Outreach Organization. "But we have been losing a lot of land. Soon, we will have nowhere to go."

Indigenous Rights

Distinctive in their red robes and jewelry, the Masai are renowned for their courage and endurance. The men can walk for days across the savannas, herding their cattle. Traditional initiation rites dictate that a boy must kill a lion with a spear, but the ritual is no longer enforced.

Most of the Masai have never been outside the windswept savannas of Kenya and Tanzania. For most of the group who visited the United States, it was their first time in an airplane.

"When we took off from Nairobi, it felt like my feet lost sense," said Margaret Koileken, one of the group members.

The Masai were the original settlers in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. According to Kenyan government policy, however, none of the 42 tribes in the country are recognized as indigenous.

That's something the Masai want to change. Gaining recognition as an indigenous people would entitle them to certain rights, like protection of their lands, which they don't have today.

One thorny issue is the ownership of the Magadi soda lake. The Masai would like to end the government's control of the lake, which is based on a 1923 treaty with the British.

During a drought a few years ago, the Masai moved their cattle into Nairobi in search of greener pastures. Traffic came to a standstill as hundreds of cows were herded down city streets.

"We don't have water sources in our communities," said Nkitoria. "So we are forced to move into urban areas, which is illegal."

The theme of this year's UN Forum on Indigenous Issues—women's rights—was a particularly important topic for the Masai, which is one of the most male-dominated societies in the world.

"Women are generally not involved in any decision-making processes in Kenya," Koileken said. "For the Masai, it's even worse. In my hometown, Narok, there is one elected woman at the city council."

According to Masai customs, women cannot hold property or divorce. In some Masai communities, few girls go to school. The marginalization of women, Koileken said, is cultural.

"Traditionally, women are not allowed to talk," she said. "We're not supposed to make any decisions. This must change. We need something like affirmative action."

Culture Shock

So what are some of the differences the visiting Masai have seen between Kenya and the United States?

"In Kenya, people who pass you say hello. Here, they are running, running, and running," Koileken said. "You can't compare my hometown with New York. Back home, we have small buildings, not complicated buildings like here."

The group visited one school and was stunned to see kids with their own computers. "American children are exposed to more knowledge, and I have seen that they are anxious to learn," said Josephine Sitonik, a group member.

John ole Koitee, a 45-year-old farmer, says that Americans can learn from the Masai when it comes to holding on to their traditions and culture. "This has helped us maintain our identity and stay together as a community," he said.

Nkitoria believes Americans can borrow a leaf from Masai when it comes to family conflict. "Instead of taking people to court, maybe community elders can intervene with conflicting groups," he said. "This has worked in our community. Conflicts are resolved and families are more stable because of the intervention from neighbors and other community members."

They have been impressed with the generosity of Americans.

"When you are a guest here, people give their own beds for you to sleep on," said Ernest ole Matura, one of the elders.

Koileken says Americans' willingness to give to charity should serve as an example for the Masai.

"If somebody who is very far away and doesn't share your culture or language is willing to donate money that could change your life, this should make it easier for us to pull our own resources together and help the people who are close to us," she said.

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