Masai
Trip Start
Jun 20, 2008
1
6
19
Trip End
Jul 16, 2008
Masai Mara National Reserve,
Kenya
Thursday, June 26, 2008
As our plans to visit others were sort of arranged, we decided not to be bothered about "right or not right" time. There will be animals, and that is what we needed.
The roads in Kenya - no joy. The segment between Narok and Mara itself it is a pure sports for you stomack. Jolting all the way through - guaranteed. And when its around 5 hours trip which half a road in slow-to-improve conditions, after getting off the car you need to sit down and feel a peace on earth.
Already the first evening we had a chance to spot the mating lions. Apparently they are quick in "love matters" and quantity overtaking quality. 72 times per day. We witnessed 3minutes of honey moon moments and soon after that both grew flabby next to each other. Our tour operator was intelligent enough to fly straight away to another place, but gave us time to observe the calmly breathing animals. Man seems to get the joy, and all the house work is done by lioness. She hunts for kids and male, and while sleeping her eyes were alerted even under half closed sleepy eyes. Lion didnt show any of interaction.
Soon someone told a funny phrase, and I laughed out loud. Lion got awake, stood up, approached his lady and again we witness some love. They were not bothered by us or couple other safari travellers with curiosity observing the act.
Full of adventurous mood, we returned to camp. The chief has cooked a sort-of-african-european dinner, and xerophene lamp fed mosquitos the light.
Masai apparently meant to be good worriors. It is one of the reasons you will see them very often guarding at the hotels, resorts. Our campsite was very close to Mara, and possibility elephant or lion will come to greet us is living. Before we went to sleep, we had a lovely chat with them.
The are very proud to maintain their culture. The father of a kid was boasting like a teenager showing us a lion tooth, that every teenager boy to become a man has to live up to 5 years in the bush. And only they considered mature enough to keep the family, if they bring lion tooth.
The most comical image that could pop in my mind is Masai with his half naked red bright clothing, spear in one hand, knife hanging near the waist, and... nokia in the other hand. They record the masai dance and songs. And it was the biggest globalization sign I have seen sofar. Apart from beduin sitting on the camel at the Pyramds, and talking mobile.
Well, especially knowing that Masai keep their culture: they are shephers, keep their rituals to the maximum. And that mobile looked really funny.
But... for one of the masai it is the bridge with the person from Philipines as she promised to come and they would get marry.
It sounds exotic, but quite a challenge for a woman. This would not be the first example though, as they have already example of a Canadian woman, marrying masai, staying for couple years together in the village.
