Couples' Conference at Masai Mara

The Masai Mara Trip April 19-22, 2011

We left on Tuesday morning flying in a propeller plane for about 20 people. It was a little bumpy. We landed on a dirt flat place in the clearing—not much of a runway. The only buildings consisted of a 4 hole outbuilding off to one side and a thatched round pavilion set up to sell native crafts.

We took Land Rovers (3 couples each vehicle) to the Intrepid. We were met with hot towel carrying receptionists and a small glass of juice, which we drank sitting in another of the thatched roofed pavilions. They called off our names and room assignments, and walked us to our dwellings. We were in #11, which had two beds. It reminded us of the POA—a combination timber and tent structure. We looked out on the river and were told that elephants were often seen there. They, the elephants, were too shy however, during our stay to make our acquaintance. The Byrds saw a wonderful monitor lizard outside their cabin.

We rested for a couple of hours and then had lunch—a smorgasbord—cheeses, raw vegetables, fruits, soups, and breads. It was very good. We rested for an hour or so and then met out front in one of three land rovers (open tops with covered roll bars) assigned to our group of 18 missionaries.

Our tour guide was Rafael, a young Masai with 2 wives and 5 children. He paid 8 cows for each of his wives, but would not tell us how many cows he owns (cows are their complete lives…everything in their culture revolves around their cows). He said if he revealed the number he owns, they would surely die. I would guess he was in his early 30s. He works as a guide (11 years) 2 months at a time, and then returns to his village and families for a time before returning for another 2 month-stint. He was very knowledgeable and patient with the endless stops and picture snapping.

We asked him which culture he preferred—Masai village life or more modern living. He said “A man without his culture is like a zebra without its stripes.”

The guides have a very well-rehearsed ritual to their trips. The Masai Mara is considered the premier park in Africa. It is VERY expensive, which is why the couples only go there once a year—usually once during a couple’s 18 month stay.

Many of the staff members at the lodge were dressed in typical Masai dress—bright red plaids (think Scotland). The 80 inch long swath of cloth is used as a tied skirt or almost always as a drape flowing from the shoulder. Both males and females of this tribe wear a lot of jewelry. It is not only customary, but also fashionable to have the middle tooth in the front of the mouth knocked out at the age of 3. The men spend hours decorating themselves with cornrows and weaves covered with red ochre leaving a stiff almost cap-like headdress. The women also wear weaves and cornrows, but we saw none wearing ochre. Both genders wear big beaded necklaces and many beaded bracelets and leg coverings. The men usually wear a nobkerri (that isn’t spelled right)…it is a thick heavy club with a round knob on the top, in their belt behind their backs. I think it is to kill enemies and lions…good luck!

The guides have walkie talkies, and they know the park well, even though it is vast. I think it is the size of Spain. The Kenya side is called the Mara, and the Tanzania side is part of the Serengeti. We left in the morning with about 8 Land Rovers from our lodge and probably that many more from other lodges in the park. Everyone takes off in a different direction to see what is up and about. As soon as one guide has a find, he radios the others, and almost always wherever there is a coveted animal, immediately it is surrounded by 5-6 other vans with cameras clicking like mad. The Mara is unique because it is mostly open savannah so the lions or cheetahs, etc. when roused, would walk right under our tires. With a stretch, we could reach out and touch them. People love it there because the animals are so tame and so used to the vans, they are oblivious to the people and so tourists are able to get really close up and personal.

Park rules state that there can only be 5 vehicles surrounding a single animal. That was mostly observed. They also state that a vehicle cannot impede the walking pattern or design of the animals. Our guide was very respectful of them and wouldn’t get too close so as to crowd them. He also approached them slowly and didn’t chase them when he received word of a find.

ANIMALS:

It is estimated that there are 2.5 million wildebeests in the park during the annual migration between July and October and ¾ million zebras that move with them during the same times. Right now in April, we saw very few of both species because the others have moved down to Tanzania for their migration, and only the old and weak remain. We could relate to them.

You know the pictures you see of thousands of animals moving—where the wildebeests and zebras cross the river and try to get up the other side before the crocs get them—well, look carefully next time, and you will see us because we were right there at that place!

Without boring you with lots of details, I’ll just say we saw lots of: lions, elephants, giraffes, wart hogs, crocodiles, big lizards, zebras, wildebeests, (one of our favorites---Topis)—they have blue faces, splotches of blue on their bodies, and blue rear ends down to their knees). The guides call them the “Blue Jean” wearers. We’d never heard of them before. To go on: cheetahs, leopards, all kinds of antelopes—impalas, elands, dik diks, hartebeest, cape buffalo etc., mongooses, hippos, and birds like you’ve NEVER seen. We are becoming bird watchers of a sort. Neal loved the lions and I’m still a giraffe lover.

We learned that big termite hills are only inhabited by termites if there is no vegetation growing on them. Once vacated, they make lovely homes for mongooses. We saw a large hyena village, a lion digging for something frantically, a fresh lion kill completely surrounded by tons and tons of vultures, hyenas, and other birds, while the lion just walked around scratching his tummy.

THE MASAI VILLAGE

Except for the fun visits with the couples (my favorite part of the trip), the village was probably my next favorite experience. Masai tribespeople live in large groups. The village we visited consisted of about 8 large families—80-100 people. The area surrounding their village was flat, arid dry land with an occasional Acacia tree and scrub bushes here and there.

They used thorny hedge all around the circular enclosure they have for their homes. There is a fence and a hedge to make the protective wall. They build their homes inside the wall with various openings in the hedge to allow them to exit the boma. The homes are made with cow dung and mud—walls, roofs, and floors. The home we visited had two rooms with a small (very small) kitchen in between. We wondered how they kept from burning their feet as they stepped out of their bedroom onto the kitchen fire. The parents had one room and all the children lived in the other. Social calls are made outside. All houses faces the center of the circle, in which there is a large field—mostly filled with varying degrees of wet cow dung. At night, the boys herd the cows into the center of the village where they are watched during the night. So, in the morning everywhere the villagers walk, was the cattle stall the night before.

The Masai drill a young child’s ear with a hot stick when he/she is young. They place a plug in that hole, and keep increasing the size of the plug until the gaping hole remaining is the size they think is beautiful. We were amazed when one of the young men took the loop of his ear lope and looped it up over the top of his ear, so both ears looked like they had been cut in half. They told us they make holes in their ears so they can hear what they want to hear and let what they don’t want to hear just drift through the holes. We took a video of a young man about 19 years old who looped his ears for us. He said he did not want this done but his parents did it when he was about 10 years old. They also burned his cheeks at that time.

As I mentioned earlier, they break out the center tooth in the front of the mouth when a child is between 3 and 12. Rafael (our guide) said his tooth was not broken out because he was going to school when he was young, but that he will knock out his (or rather his wife will) knock out his children’s teeth because it is a sign of identity…as Masai. Most Masai men have between 2-6 wives. Girls are betrothed when they are very young-three or four years old. They have no say at all in whom they will marry. The first wife has more privileges than later ones. If they do fall in love with someone other than the spouse decreed, they are kicked out of the village and will not be accepted in other villages. The betrothals are determined by many things, but they do not marry within their own clan.

The traditional tribal dances for men involve jumping high in the air while chanting. The man who jumps the highest gets his pick of the beautiful girls for a wife. The women dances we watched were chants and moving very slightly back and forth, sometimes with a baby on the back.

The tribal chief decides who will stand guard with the dogs to protect the cows inside the enclosure. Boys are circumcised at the age of 15. Boys traditionally killed their lions at 15-18 years of age. That marks their transition to manhood. It is now illegal to kill lions.

The Masai are semi-nomadic. They move when they run out of water or grass. The men hunt and tend the fences. The women haul water and great stacks of wood, care for the children, cook, and build the homes whenever they move. It takes about 7 months to construct a house, and most will last for 10 years. The house will fall down after 10 years because by then the termites will have eaten the wood frame away. They move when the dung heap inside the village enclosure (where we were standing) gets too high. The women have very, very hard lives. The women of the village we visited walk 5 kilometers to get water each day. It takes them 1 ½ hours to go to the source and return.

We saw no gardens and were told they do not plant gardens because that would dig up the ground and ruin the grass for the cattle. COWS are reverenced and they believe God gave all the cows on earth just to their tribe so they are entitled to all of them.

Their food consists of drinking the blood of the cow, mixed with milk and sometimes liquor. They put a leather strap around the cow’s neck and tighten in. That makes the vein in the neck protrude. Then one of the men shoots a sharp arrow into the vein and quickly catches the blood that pours out. This is drained into a long gourd where it is mixed with milk and sometime liquor. The cut in the cow’s neck seals up for a few days when the belt is removed. Then they can bleed the cow again when they need the next meal.

They use cow urine as a disinfectant. Their whole lifestyle revolves around the cows they revere so highly. A Masai without cows is kicked out of the village. It is very dangerous for a family to try to live alone without the social connection and protection of the village center. Every family has its own entrance to the central compound. Cows are more important than money and are used for barter and pride. One of the chief’s duties is to check the security of the fences surrounding the compound. If I approach you with white paint on my hands, it means we will have no war. Circumcised girls wear colorful beaded headbands. Branches worn as a wreath or covering for the door are signs of peace.

They sleep on the dung floor with only a cow skin—no mattresses. Many natives use a prop under their neck and head to sleep. It is usually wooden—a kind of platform about 4 inches high that supports their head to get it off the ground.

If someone is sick, he/she is given 2 liters of cow’s blood to drink. This is often mixed with milk. The same potion is given to hunter to strengthen them. Young boys have the job to herd the precious cattle. This is an honor. The elders of the village teach the boys the best way to herd the cows. Wealth is assessed by the number of cows and number of wives a man has. Sheep skins are also used as clothing.

Much time is devoted to dressing themselves. All tribes run when they see a Masai Warrior dressed for battle. He is made especially fearsome when he decorates himself with red ochre. Lions do not like red. White paint is used only for peaceful demonstration. To kill a lion is a sign of bravery. To kill a lion today is against the law, and the perpetrator is charged with poaching.

Men do not eat in front of women. During the wedding ceremony, the groom makes a special beer of very strong potency. “It makes the men crazy!” They drink for 7 days to celebrate.

Cow dung is very important. It is used to seal the cracks in the walls and roofs of the houses. Their homes stay cool in the day and warm at night. If someone breaks the law in their community, he/she will be fined in cows. At birth, the grandmother is allowed to whip the baby until it cries. When women go to fetch water or wood, they travel in single file and gossip and laugh to scare away the animals so they won’t be attacked.

Children often do not like to go to school, but their mothers force them. Most schools are built by missionary groups. The Colonials really worked to establish schools for the Masai. Often the weak children, who could not be good herders or water packers, were sent to school. If they could not learn to be good herders, they would be sent to be educated.

There are still only 42 tribes remaining in Kenya. Of them, only the Masai has kept their traditions strong.

The Masai handshake (and the same handshake we receive here in the branches is the same) is performed by shaking the right hands, then grabbing the right thumb, then shaking again, and then grabbing the thumb again. This means: greetings for you (the shake), for your family, for your ancestors.

Tidbit: If you live in Swaziland—southern Africa—and you leave a stack of wood in the trunk of your car, it will turn into a person and rise up and kill you.

We arrived Tuesday afternoon at the Mara and returned Thursday morning. It was a wonderful trip. We loved being with the wonderful couples, who serve here in very difficult conditions. We returned home in a tiny plane that held only 10 people. Neal loved it because it flew very low and we could see details of people’s homes.

Just some notes since we returned. We taught our 6 pre-missionaries the day after we returned. We love teaching that class. The young men are so willing and eager. We are really trying hard to help them get ready to go. They have such opposition because they have no money to buy their birth certificates (about $1.80) their passports, their yellow fever shots, their drivers’ licenses (now required). So those are their big obstacles. We are hoping the branch presidents will help them by giving them jobs to do. This is a new concept.

We are so excited because a new district was created Sunday in our area. It shows Zion is growing! YAY!. One of our favorite Branch Presidents was taken into the District Presidency. We will sorely miss him. People are really suffering right now because the rains are so late and they have no food. We went out with one of our branch presidents today to visit less actives and he said “Our people are starving. They just don’t have enough food. They are becoming desperate.” He said he planted some maize early down on the edge of his property and already the neighbors have been watching when he leaves and have stolen it. That usually happens a little later in the year.