Rituals to Become Maasai Warriors
There are 6 Maasai rituals to become warriors. The following are mentioned in brief below:
- Enkipaata: It is a circumcision ceremony symbolizing the transition into the next age- set, prepared, and organized by the father. Happens between the age of 12-16 years and the first coming-of-age ceremony of the Maasai boy. Paint his face with white chalk and shave the head.
- Emuratare: Most important initiation elevating the boys from childhood to adulthood. Planning takes 4 months during which each will prove that is ready by exhibiting signs of a grown-up, by carrying a heavy spear or traveling by himself at night.
- Olomaylo: This is a daunting task to know how courageous they are. The task is to fight a lion and escape it.
- Emanyatta: The formation of Emanyatta was selected randomly by the Maasai prophet, which is a warring camp consisting of 20-40 houses. 10 days ritual takes place.
- Eunoto: At the dawn of the day of Eunoto, wearing loose clothing, young Masaais run to their homestead with an aggressive new attitude and put act as if they have come to raid.
- Orngesherr: The selected camp of 20 or more houses. It marks the transition of a junior elder to a senior elder. The warrior status elevates to a more responsible elder.
Pastoralism in Africa
Pastoralism and pastoral livestock production are very important to the livelihood and economy of Africa’s semi-arid areas. Due to long-term climate change, around 7,000 years ago; it spread throughout Northern Africa as an adaptation to the constantly changing and unpredictable arid climate. Pastoralism in Africa is practiced in 43 percent of the landmass.
More than 22 million Africans rely on some type of pastoral activity for a living. Among them are Bedouins, Berbers, Maasai, Somali, Boran, and Turkana. Today, the bulk of them live in semi-arid grasslands or dry deserts, where rainfed agriculture is difficult. They raise cattle, camels, goats, sheep, and donkeys, and sell milk, meat, skins, and wool. Some augment their meager and uncertain earnings from pastoralism through commerce and transportation, while others combine mobile lifestyle activity with agriculture.
The lives of African pastoralists changed tremendously over colonial and post-colonial times. From the late 19th century, the British colonial government in east Africa started expanding land under cultivation. As cultivation expanded, pasturelands turned to cultivated fields and this brought a number of problems for the pastoralists and their lives became tough.
Contact Us