The Maasai

Traditional cattle-herders, who migrated into this region from what is now South Sudan over the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Maasai rarely hunted – except ritualistically when killing a lion as one of the tests of manhood. They lived in relative harmony with the wildlife for generations and ranged far and wide throughout south-western Kenya with their herds. With population and land pressure and the advent of safari tourism, they have had to reinvent their economy and while cattle ownership is still a central aspect of Maasai culture, many Maasai have become expert safari guides and camp managers. You’re bound to have plenty of chance to interact with Maasai guides and staff, and village and school visits are usually an optional activity, perhaps as an alternative to an afternoon game drive. Most of the camps we feature have positive relationships with their local communities and most fees paid for such visits go direct to the elders or village council.
 

Maasai by any other name

How you spell the name “Maasai" is often a topic of robust debate on safari – especially when you’re into your third Tusker around the camp fire. Apart from misunderstandings like 'Massamara' and 'Massimari', some people like to claim there are different spellings for the people and the reserve. It’s true that when the reserve was first demarcated in the 1940s, the common spelling was ‘Masai’ – as indeed it had been since Joseph Thomson first walked Through Masai Land in 1883, a double-a spelling being unknown in the English language. The ‘Masai’ spelling preceded the first attempt to write down the Maasai language, Maa, which uses standard international rules for a long “a". These days, while the double-a spelling is increasingly the standard form, it’s simply a convention, and arguably no more correct than spelling colour with a ‘u’.