Just finished my last safari in Tanzania where I traveled with two other volunteers with a traditional Masaai village just located outside of Arusha. We first made our way to a traditional Masaai Medicine Man named Doctor Julius, who showed us the different barks, leaves and other various powders that cured everything from a snake bite to menstrual cramps for the women. After we chewed on a few herbs, we drove to the grazing lands where young Masaai boys travel and apparently can stay up to two years trekking to find grass/water for the cows and sheeps they are herding.

Upon our arrival to the Masaai VIllage, we were greeted by six Masaai warriors decked out in traditional Masaai blankets and baseball caps labelled, “LA Lakers” or “Red Bulls.” They began chanting and calling the other Masaai Warriors to join…and in about two hours, a crowd of thirty Masaai Warriors formed a circle in which they chanted, jumped, and hollered for…..12 FULL HOURS!!! That’s right…they started at 3pm…and ended at 3am. The chanting is to show strength, endurance and also to celebrate any new strangers/guests into their village. During their jumping escapades and various other danceswith their tire,rubber shoes , the women of the village arrived fashionably late (as our Guide Paulo pointed out…women everywhere in the world take a long time to get ready) and began shaking their shoulders in such a way that the huge, white beaded disks which engulfed their necks teetered back and forth like circular see-saws. We watched the dancing/chanting going on until the FULL MOON rose up. And then proceeded into a small wood, mud hut (Boma) where nearly 45 people crowded and danced.

I had to crash at 9pm because I’ve fallen ill with a bit of mild bronchitis, but the chanting could be heard throughout the valley and throughout the night. It was intense, but incredibly hypnotic.

The next morning, Jera and I fetched water by balancing buckets on the tops of our heads and Mr. Patrick ended up herding a bunch of cows and bulls through the grazing lands. We wore traditional Masaai blankets which although a bit cheeky, were comfortable and extremely warm. Got some great photographs of the children and the old Masaai people.

For the Masaai..the more cows you have, the better off you are. Some men can have up to 17 wives…but our guide’s father only had five. Can’t wait to return home to research more on this group; apparently they are one of the last ethnic/cultural groups that holds onto their traditions. The tour group we went with, Masaai Wanderings, makes the effort to contribute any of their extra funds to the Nursery School in the village.