Visit to Maasai Village

JWe left the Serengeti anticipating a much less dusty ride as we had had a substantial rainfall the previous evening. This theory proved true but it did provide other challenges.  To get the morning off to an exciting start we got into the midst of a wildebeest and zebra migration.  They crossed in front and behind us and the line of animals stretched in both directions as far as the eye could see.  This certainly has been an amazing time of year to be here. Expecting to see a few of each animal there have been some that we have literally seen thousands of.  It truly is an awesome experience and each sighting is truly wonderful. I now understand those who told us that Africa calls you back.

Migration 

One can not capture the sheer number in a small camera lens

Carrying on further down the road our guid George stopped and put the vehicle into four wheel drive as the road got muddier but with great confidence in his driving we thought no problem. Unfortunately the two large trucks up ahead were not so lucky and as these were one way ruts it took some creative driving and even some time on the grasslands which is technically not allowed to get around.  One is not allowed to get out of a safari vehicle while traveling on the Serengeti which I was quite relieved about as there were fresh lion tracks in the mud beside where we were stopped.  One never knows what is lurking in the grass.  

Very deep mud and no tow truck in sight

Leaving Serengeti National Park we were beyond excited to encounter two of the most majestic male lions we had seen.  They were huge and had gorgeous manes. One was even kind enough to do a walk around for the star struck tourists.

The colours in the mane just glowed

I understand why he is called the King

Driving along we stopped at the Olduva Gorge which I will let the picture tell about

The Leakeys started their studies here in the early 1900s and today archeologiststs and students come from all over the world to work at the digs here to try and uncover more information on evolution. It was very interesting to see what fossilsand discoveries that their painstaking work has uncovered.

We travelled on and went to visit a Masai village.  Leopard Tours pays for our group to have this privilege and we were treated to a full tour.  We were greeted by one of the Chiefs sons who explained that the Masai are a Nomadic people who move their village as it becomes necessary.  The village consists of one family and this one belonged to his father who had 14 wives and 60 children.  His sons would then bring wives from other villages and the family would keep expanding.  We were greeted by the men and women of the village with some singing and dancing which was quite special.

Greeting party

Masai dancing

The entire village is surrounded by a fence built of sticks and brambles to keep out the wild animals and all the livestock are brought into the compound each night.  It is the males job to tend to the animals and they are taken out during the day to graze and find water.  At the age 18 the males become warriors and they all carry a spear to fend off wild animals.  The women build the huts in the village from acacia branches and cow dung.  They are very low and even I had to crouch so not to bump my head. There is a cooking fire in the center and two beds made from cow hides, one for the mother, and father when he is there and one for all the children.  The Masai people bath only once a month and it is probably for this reason that they keep their heads shaven.  The only ones we saw with hair were the occasional warrior who had dreadlocks.  Once a child has their adult teeth two bottom teeth are pulled so if they get lockjaw they will be able to be given medicine.  Most all of their medical needs are attended to by old traditional ways.  

Inside the village

Inside the hut with lunch cooking over the fire.  The diet of the Masai consists of only porridge,meat, milk and blood.  They bleed the cows for the blood by cutting an artery with a spear and then patching it.  We were very grateful they did not offer to share a meal.

Eric sitting on the bed holding our warriors mahogany pole

A Masai bedroom.  The inside of the hot was extremely hot, smoky and claustrophobic.

The Masai tradition has changed to burial of the deceased but in the pass the would sacrifice a cow when a member of the tribe died and lay the deceased and the cow together in the field.  The reason for this was that the cow body would attract the scavengers and both bodies would be eaten.  Definitely a green option.  We visited the kindergarten where the children sang to us and demonstrated their counting skills.  We then sang If You Are Happy and You Know It to them and they enthusiastically joined in with the actions. Was rather humbling to see the conditions they live in and the ground in dirt of their clothes.

This is the school.

The class. Notice how difficult it is to tell the boys from the girls

The women of the village do a lot of bead work which they all adorn themsevles with and they also have a market of sorts set up which they sell to the tourists.  When asked what they need the money for as they claim to live from the land they use it for fabric and some cooking utensils.

Masai woman selling her beadwork 

The women love their jewelry 

Colourful gathering outside the house.  When it rains the women must cover the house with cow hides so that it maintains its integrity.

Masai real estate

Leaving the Masai village we had a bit of a harrowing ride along the top of edge of the Ngorongoro Crater to the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge where we hit the bar to calm our nerves.

First view of the Ngorongoro Crater,a World Heritage Site, through the mist.

Richard kissing the ground on our safe arrival at the lodge.