THE MAASAI IN TANZANIA:

In the contours of Great Rift Valley of East, the north of Tanzania there stands a mountain the Maasai call Oldonyo Lengai (the Mountain of God). It's a lone candle, a gift from God and thus the Maasai worship in its shadow and pray for cattle and children. Its rumbling thunder and lighting flames are nothing less than presence and power of God (Engai) who is believed to live there and to whom the people bring sacrifices of lambs without spots.

As a young Maasai, I often heard the legend that long ago Engai had three children to whom gave three gifts. The one received an arrow to make his living by hunting and the second a hoe to dig the land and grew crops, the third a stick to use in herding cattle.

This third, so whose names was Loiteru A kop was the further of the Maasai who have since that time been the proud keeper of cattle, so in the shadow of Mount Lengai, the Maasai have decided to observe many sunrises and fiery sunset and to guard their cattle grazing on the golden Savannah. Standing stork-like on one leg at a time and unconcerned, the Maasai herdsman lets time pass. Maasai are pastoral who believe that all the cattle on earth belonging to them. The number of Maasai it raise very slowly than the other tribes.


In Tanzania Maasai are divided into approximately twelve separate geographical sections. IIkisongo, IIpurko, IImatapato, IIoodokilani, IIkeerkonyokie, IIkaputiei, IIdamat, IIsinia, IIwuasinkishu, IIdalalekutuk and Ilaitayoik.  The largest selection in Maasai land is IIkisongo and second largest is the IIpurko of Kenya. Each section of Maasai land has its own home territory, dialect, ceremonies, way of building houses and Kraals and leadership Authority. Style and colors of headwork and dress also differ from section to section for example the IIkisongo prefer dark red and dark blue in head decoration, where as the IIpurko prefer orange and light blue.

As to differentiate in dress the warriors of the IIkisongo wear below the knees togas while the IIpurko warriors and most Kenyan section prefer very short togas to expose the beautiful bodies of the warriors. The Tanzanian Maasai still wear leather skins.

Originating of Maasai is from North of Africa. The Maasai similar many style to those of the Romans. Linguistically, the Maasai are closest to the Bari of Sudan. They share with other groups of Nilotic origin such customs as the shaving woman's head. The removal of the two middle teeth from lower jaws. The on legged-stork stance and the use of spittle in blessing.