Maasai Village Chilling

Most tourists will come to Arusha to catch a safari or attempt a shot at summiting Mt Kilimangaro……Then there is us. We were lucky to get to know some great people while helping out at Good Hope Orphanage. We have seen throughout the year, the closer you can connect with locals, the more likely you are to experience some very authentic and wild times.

And when it came to visiting some of the famous Maasai people, one of the oldest African tribes, authentic and wild is exactly what we got.

It all started at a coffee shop chatting with a new friend who had spent nearly 2 years living near a traditional Maasai village for work. We became close friends with the people of the village and the chairman of the entire clan and was now working on some development projects to help their village. Conversations turned into concrete plans and next thing you know, we are in a safari van, headed 1.5hrs outside of Arusha to visit and spend the night in Massai village.

This wasn't like the standard massai village visit that most people get on safaris (i.e fake Boma’s set up with some massai hanging around selling crafts) - This was the real deal. You think you know, but you have no idea.

After pulling off the highway and off-roading for another 30 minutes into the bush, Massai boma’s (huts made of mud and cow dung) started to pop up. Then ours popped up.

A typical Maasai Boma - sleeps about 5-7 people

We were greeted by Ruben, a beauty guys and chairman of this village (about 1000 spread out all over the area). We met some of the women, children and warriors and were welcomed with open arms. We also got to meet a warrior in training. As part of Massai tradition the boys wait until they are anywhere from 13-18 before they are circumcised after which they head out into the bush for 3 months to live off the land and learn to be warriors.  Leading up to the circumcision the boys where all black and with white paint on their face……so they are pretty easy to pick out. Sadly in Maasai tradition they still usually practice female circumcision when the girls hit puberty, although it is illegal in Tanzania. Apparently they groups are working hard to educate and help evolve tradition away from female circumcision toward alternatives.  Typically, Massai aren’t keen on photos being taken, but because of our newly developed relationship with our guide, we got some of these beauties.

Cuddling with one of the Maasai babies

Child at the entrance of the Boma

Maasai woman

Jonny with a future Maasai warrior

Jonny and I with Ruben, the chairman

Off to the weekly Massai market we went. This is the market where all the Massai go to make their purchases for food, supplies, etc . On the way we also made a stop at the Maasai school for the area where Dom, our new friend, was raising funds to build a playground. Typically in a Maasai family not all the children (or any) will go to school as it is the school age children that typically heard the cattle and goats. Visiting the children was amazing and they were surprised and curious to see a bunch of Muzugu’s (aka foreigners or white people in Swahili). Back at the market we picked up a beauty blanket and then our special gift for the families that were hosting us - Bill Cosby… The goat (more on this in a moment). We also went for the sole purpose of smashing banana beers, a local liquor made from banana plants that you can pick up for 50 cents a pop, and getting in the banter that comes with it.

Dom with kids at the school

Maasai school children

Crowds at the market

New friend I met in the market

Enjoying a Banana beer

A Maasai gentleman who had a few too many Banana beers

We made it back to the village after a few Banana beers we took a hike with the crew and Ruben up moon hill to a look out for sunset. The whole hike up and down took about 2 hours and then it was time to go back for our goat.

Sunset from Moon Hill

One live goat costs about $30 and feeds the entire village so we figured - why not. It was the least we could do for having us in their home for the night.  The girls weren’t as down with watching the butchering as JJ and I. So they played with the children and we got amongst it. I will save you the details, but it was wild, such a strategic form of butchering leaving little to no mess.

To show respect to the animal and the Massai ritual of slaughtering the goat, we had to “enjoy” raw kidney freshly cut out of the body during the butchering. You know those times when you were watching Fear Factor, and you thought “I think I could do that”. You were wrong. Much respect to those contestants. I’m happy to report thought that JJ and I kept it down.

The legs and ribs were speared and placed around the fire for cooking. Everything else was used to stew or eaten raw. They waste ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on this goat.  After about 30 minutes of cooking we had some fresh goat, sitting around in the circle feasting on our goat, pretending to understand what Ruben and his warriors were talking about, and joining in on the banter as much as possible.

Sorry no photos of the slaughtered goat to share

Then it was off to bed in the mud huts. JJ, Kait and I snuggled in one while the rest of the team were babies and slept in the van.

Preparing to take the cattle grazing in the morning 

All in all, there was no (fake) welcome choreographed dance, there was nobody pushing Massai art or décor that you didn’t want. We got to take part in a truly unique experience, living amongst some real Massai going about their business, who were just as interested in us, as we were in them.

A big thanks to Dom, Ruben and the whole clan.

OOO_Jonny and Tals