Meet the Maasai tribe in Kenya

On this exciting one-of-a-kind session, learners will travel to Kenya to meet one of the most fascinating tribes on the planet; the "Maasai". The Maasais are one of the only indigenous tribes to have resisted modernisation and, to this day, retain their age old customs and traditions. Led by a member of the Maasai tribe, learners will gain an insight, like never before, into the lives and customs of these incredible semi-nomadic people.

According to their own oral history, the Maasai tribe originated in the lower Nile Valley and migrated in the 15th century, moving into Northern Kenya and Tanzania at the end of that century. By the 19th century, the tribes occupied almost all of the Great Rift Valley and adjacent areas. They raided cattle using shields and spears but were most feared for using clubs (orinkas), which they could expertly throw from upto 100 meters away. Through 1883-1902, the tribe was scarred by epidemics and droughts that led to a loss of human lives and more than 90 percent of their cattle stock. British colonisation in the early part of the 20th century led to the Maasai people being evicted from their lands. By the 1940's more land was claimed for creating national parks and wildlife reserves confining the Maasai people to villages on the fringes, where they still live today.

In this live, interactive, session, escorted by a member of the tribe, learners will explore one such small Maasai village and see how the tribe still builds huts from cow-dung and mud. Over the centuries, the Maasai have remained fierce traditionalists, maintaining age old traditions and customs, and resisting modernisation. They have continued to co-exist with the earth, living alongside wild animals and have an aversion to eating birds and game.

You will meet members of the tribe and discover their colourful and unique attire. Maasai men typically wear red robes and elaborate headdresses made from animal hides while the women wear brightly coloured skirts and blouses. One of the most visible symbols of Maasai culture is the beaded jewellery that both men and women wear. Beads are used to create beautiful jewellery such as necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and earrings.

Venturing into a typical house, you will discover how they still operate without electricity or gas, choosing to cook using firewood and living a simple life.

You will gain an understanding into a typical day in the life of a tribes-person. The Maasai are largely cattle herders and animals are an important part of the culture. Men set out in the mornings to herd cattle, returning in the evening. Maasai women are busy bodies spending the day milking cows, cooking and travelling long distances to fetch water for the household. While you will see hens around the settlement, you will discover that these are not used for meat (and the tribes don't eat eggs either). Hens are used as a means of barter and trade.

Perhaps most fascinating is an insight into the lives of Maasai children, which is different to others around the world. Maasai children go to schools as groups and have to cross lands where it is not uncommon to encounter wild animals. They are taught how to handle coming face to face with a lion or crocodile as they walk to school. At the end of a school day, they return to look after cattle and study by the light of lanterns.

In modern times, the tribes receive income from tourists visiting the villages (a portion of the fees charged by wildlilfe parks is shared with the households). However, when there are no visitors (such as the one caused by Covid), the tribe loses income and must sell cattle. Globe From Home uses its virtual sessions to drive sustainable income for the tribes in a village. When you go on this session, you not only discover one of the planets most incredible tribes but also tangibly help support their livelihoods.

This tour has been designed specially for school children. This is a group tour that accommodates up to 50 children at a time. Once you book this experience, we will send you a confirmation email with a link to join the session.  Children and teachers can log in from their individual classes or congregate in one single class/hall and access the tour via the link provided.