4/20/14

The Maasai are a group of semi-nomadic people living in Kenya and northern Tanzania.  They are known for their distinctive dress and customs. The traditional color for the Maasai people is red but they usually wear other colored patterns over it, the sheets they wear are called Maa. The Maasai live in Kraals arranged in a circular fashion. The fence around the kraal is made of acacia thorns, which prevent lions from attacking the cattle. It is a man's responsibility to fence the kraal. While women construct the houses. The Inkajijik (maasai word for a house) are loaf-shaped and made of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and cow's urine. Livestock such as cattle, goats and sheep are the primary source of income for the Maasai. Often times the livestock will be traded for other livestock, other goods or cash. The Maasai tribes have had to stray away from tradition more and more to keep up with the developing society. Some Maasai rely on tourism as a main source of income today. They sell souvenirs to tourists and putting on dances to make money. More and more Maasai men and women are moving to the cities where they think they will have a better life. There are still some tribes left between Tanzania and Kenya but the number is decreasing for traditional semi-nomadic Maasai people.