Maasai Society

Social Structure

One of the most important features of Maasai culture is their social structure, which is based on age.

An age set of Maasai boys pass through a number of transitions throughout life, the very first of which is the circumcision rite. There are four general classes: junior warrior, senior warrior, junior elder and senior elder.

Each stage of this social system is characterised by certain dress, rights and responsibilities.

The newly-initiated warriors, or Moran, are the most important group as they are charged with defending the cattle.

Maasai society is patriarchal and women for the most part play quite a subservient role. Maasai marriages are arranged by the elders and polygamy is accepted and widely practised. Maasai women can only marry once in their lifetime. The men however may have more than one wife (if they have enough cows, they may have more than one at a time).

Elders meet to deliberate on important issues but ultimately the wellbeing of the tribe's cattle always comes first.

Cattle

The Maasai graze their cattle in rotation, moving to new grazing when the old site is exhausted. Their way of life is threatened by increasing urbanisation and the declaration of game reserves on areas that used to be their grazing land.

Their cattle form the cornerstone of their culture. They believe they were gifted all cattle by the rain god, Enkai, a belief that has led to some fatal disagreements with neighbouring tribes from whom they have tried to reclaim their divinely ordained property. The Maasai also rely heavily upon their herds of cows and goats for sustenance, in the form of milk and, occasionally, meat.

Changing Society

The Maasai of the Masai Mara still maintain their traditional way of life in the face of modernisation. Change, it seems, is inevitable though, and growing numbers of Maasai children are attending school, the tribe's men are seeking conventional employment, and women are generating an income from selling colourful beadwork.

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