Setting out on the journey, early in the morning, we squeezed 4 people, up front in a small pick up truck. Roads marked only by Africa's form, we saw zebras, gazelles, and open land that stretched for miles. As we reached our destination of Shadrack's village, we pulled up to the preparation of the celebration of circumcision- At the age of 15, the Maasai men are circumcised- the culture has shifted a bit, from the old custom-- the boys had to spend 2 months in the bush, by themselves and prove their manhood by killing a lion with their spear. A big celebration of nyama choma (roasted meat) and chai (Kenyan tea) are prepared for the entire community. Women/men, who are now more westernized, revert back to their roots and dress full out in Maasai beaded gear.
The culture is still practiced as we witnessed the men and women eating on different sides of the compound and the men eating their nyama choma in the wilderness, apart from the community. I guess, we broke the tradition, when Trishia joined the men for the roasted meat.
To walk upon the preparation of slaughtering the goat, a man literally squeezing out the poop from the intestines, skin/goat head being hung on trees to save for boiling with the intestines, goat lung being boiled, flies stuck to every piece of the meat--to then sit down and to enjoy in a piece of meat was a little stretching.
Trishia was given a full Maasai beaded dress and lots of jewelry to add to the Maasai way of dress. One man asked Brett if Trishia was his sister and if so, how old...the men often who are not believers take many wives- they believe it adds to their wealth. Guess some were looking to add to their wealth by having a white Maasai...
It was a day spent riding camels, walking with ostriches, living off the land, and assimilating into the Maasai way of life. In a culture that lives off of a concern of water supply for the livelihood of their livestock, they have experienced a great drought since 2006--this year only a small bit of rain was seen on the land once...Until today, as we are sitting there with the sun shining, eating nyama choma with men we could only communicate with thru smiles, a great rain abruptly, without warning, falls on the community- a rain that most people would take off running for shelter, we look around as the men are enjoying the nyama choma, with the largest smiles looking to the heavens...it was a great blessing to witness rain on a culture that needs it for their survival, but hasn't experienced it in months...A day greatly treasured.
You can view pics of our special day at this link!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=351700&id=611190289&l=41f3033867
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