I laugh as I write this because, as my grandmother Cricket used to say, ‘it just tickles me.’ And it does so because I just realized I have manifested something very cool.
I first came to learn of the Masai culture and people when I came to Bagamoyo my first visit. To be honest I hadn’t heard of them until I came to Africa, or until I read about them prior to coming. My first experience in meeting a Masai was when I was teaching one day at Umoja – the group of artists I taught sales, marketing and promotional techniques and English to, back in December of 2008. I was in the middle of talking when this young man quietly walked up and took a seat with my other students. I welcomed him and asked his name. I spoke in Swahili because he spoke ZERO English. I kept stealing glances because he looked so interesting and COOL in such an earthy, colorful and tribal way. He was beautiful with his warrior-like appearance and his raw confident energy filled with wisdom beyond his years. I guess he was in his early 20’s. I was quite intrigued. He wore his chukka and knife strapped to his side with pride and dignity. He sat for a few minutes and then left not to be seen again during my stay.
As I am sitting here on my porch writing this story Manuel, my Masai guard, is looking over my shoulder at what I am writing. He can’t read Swahili, let alone English so I told him I am writing about the Masai and he smiled huge.
I knew I would see the Masai in their true habitat when I would travel to the Ngorongoro
area for safari. As we drove along the region I was mesmerized by what I saw. I was drawn to the way the Masai lived, in their villages, doma’s(mud huts) and how they lived and harvested the land. They truly were salt of the earth. The women were adorned with all their tribal jewelry and dresses. The women were quite stand-offish I think because one, they didn’t speak English and two, because they have been so exploited over the years by foreigners who come and photograph them, write books on their people and culture, make millions and don’t give ANYTHING back to the people. Now they have been taught to stand up for themselves and they charge money for you to come to their villages and see their life. It is a win-win for all. I think… Which is why they do not like their pictures taken, unless, of course, you offer them money.
One of my most memorable and unforgettable moments was when I went to the Masai village on the last day of my safari journey. I met the men, women and children of this remote group of villages in the Ngorongoro conservative area. I asked my friend Eddy to please take us to a place where there were no tourists other than myself, so I could really see how they live and breath. I wanted and authentic experience and I sure got it. I got a tour of their homes, inside and out, I listened to the women, Eddy translated because he lives in a Masai area, while they spoke of the jewelry they made. The all came out to show me their creations and I was happy to buy their designs.
Two Masai took me around their property and explained how the animals grazed and they showed me many of the medicinal plants for the animals and people. It was so cool. I felt so grateful for the experience. I was just curious so I asked them if I could come and live with them. They told me yes I could although I would have to live completely like a Masai. THEY welcomed me. I smiled, and thought to myself, ‘this would be cool for a week and then I don’t think I could handle it for too long. Dirt floors, flies, bugs, mud huts no shower or toilet. I did think it would be cool one day.
Well my thinking seems to have manifested in another way because now the Masai are living with me on my land. Very cool how it all turned out and I get to live in my cozy house and still experience how they live, in a round-about way.
Manuel, is my Masai who left his family, wife and two children to come in search of work. I think he has been here for a few months and I need to ask him when he will go home. It is hard to communicate with him, so I use my neighbor Rosie next door when I really need to communicate with him. Masai have their own language so it can be difficult to talk with him. He speaks great Kiswahili, yet he mixes it at times with Masai.
We have become friends and he is quite protective of me. He is a sweetie. Once day I was reading my dictionary so I could tell him something and he took it and started to look it over. I went inside and when I came out I noticed he was trying to read it upside down. Bless his heart. He doesn’t know how to read. I turned it around like it was nothing and continued to talk to him.
Within a few weeks Heidi’s Camp Masai began. It started while Sutton and I went to safari and Zanzibar. I paid my Masai extra to watch my house day and night and he told me that while he slept he would have his friends watch my house. Awesome! So when I came home
Camp was all set up and still is. J My Masai told me the other day that he was going to be sad when I leave and that he will miss me and that he was worried about finding more work. My heart felt sad at the thought of saying goodbye. I don’t like to think about it. I like my little community here.
And, I just made a connection. The other night Manuel was braiding one of his friend’s hair on my front porch, they are great braiders and this is how some of them make money, and it was the guy who I met that day while teaching. Full circle, in more ways than one.
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