What is Maasai art?
Types of Art Maasai are best known for their beautiful beadwork which plays an essential element in the ornamentation of the body. Beading patterns are determined by each age-set and identify grades.
What is unique about the Maasai?
They are fearless: The Maasai have always been calm and courageous. They were formerly hunters, with their young men trained to hunt for food and to protect their families. In fact, until recently, a Maasai boy would only be crowned a warrior if they killed a lion single-handedly using a spear.
What are the Maasai tribes traditions?
There are many ceremonies in Maasai society including Enkipaata (senior boy ceremony), Emuratta (circumcision), Enkiama (marriage), Eunoto (warrior-shaving ceremony), Eokoto e-kule (milk-drinking ceremony), Enkang oo-nkiri (meat-eating ceremony), Olngesherr (junior elder ceremony), etc.
What is the significance of beads and Jewellery to the Maasai tribe?
Beaded jewellery is symbolic within Maasai culture, and different beads are used to tell individual stories. The colours of the beads are selected not only for their aesthetic appeal, but also to provide information. The main colours used in Maasai necklaces include: Red: a symbol of unity, strength and bravery.
What do the Maasai tribe eat?
The Maasai heavily depend on cattle for nutrition. The traditional Maasai diet consists of six basic foods: milk, meat, fat, blood, honey, and tree bark. Both fresh and curdled milk are drunk. Fresh milk is drunk in a calabash (gourd) and is sometimes mixed with fresh cattle blood.
Why do Maasai drink blood?
The Maasai, an ethnic group of semi-nomadic people who inhabit in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, drink cow blood on special occasions – circumcision of a child, the birth of a baby and on the occasion of a girl’s marriage. It also is given to drunken elders to alleviate intoxication and hangover.
What do the Maasai believe?
The Maasai believe in one ominscient god, Enkai (or Nkai). Enkai is not represented by any human-like shape. Instead, he is represented by two colors: red and black. The black god brings rain and thunder to replenish the grazing land.
Why do the Maasai wear plaid?
While red is the most common colour, the Maasai also use blue, striped, and checkered cloth to wrap around their bodies. It’s known to be durable, strong, and thick — protecting the Maasai from the harsh weather and terrain of the savannah.
What do Maasai beads represent?
The beadwork embodies the Maasai culture, representing beauty, tradition, strength, and sometimes even social status. “Women met up in groups and beaded jewellery worn by both men and women during different events and occasions,” Nashilu shares. “Beads are a symbol of beauty.”
What do the Maasai really eat?
Culture Hair. This would symbolize the healing of the woman. Two days before boys are circumcised, their heads are shaved. Diet. Traditionally, the Maasai diet consisted of raw meat, raw milk, honey and raw blood from cattle -note that the Maasai cattle are of the Zebu variety. Shelter Clothing. Clothing changes by age and location.
Who are the Maasai people?
Maasai people. Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes , and their distinctive customs and dress.
Where would we find the Maasai people?
The Maasai people of East Africa live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley on semi-arid and arid lands.
Where is Maasai located?
The Maasai (also Masai) are a semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania.