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A night with the Masaïs in Africa, what an expérience !

 

 

 

 

A night with the Masaïs in Africa, what an expérience ! Village Masaï John Storr Domaine Public
A night with the Masaïs in Africa, what an expérience ! Village Masaï
John Storr
Domaine Public

A night with the Masaïs in Africa, what an expérience !

Twenty years ago, I flew for Air France and I had the opportunity to visit unusual places, meet amazing people in the wide world.

During a trip to Africa, I happened to experience a special moment that I wish to share with you.

On a flight to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, a time of rest on site, allows the crew to visit the area. The idea is to meet a tribe called peaceful in its real context, ie, in the middle of nowhere, in the savannah. Four of us want to try this crazy experience, two girls, two boys and I’m the only blond (this is important). Curiously, it does not come to our minds that the most elementary prudence would be to say where we are going and for how long. It is true that we do not have any idea about it, because, you know… adventure is adventure !

The famous Masai

After 6 hours of car under a blazing sun and a chaotic and dangerous road network (as people do not know the rules of the road, it seems!) , we reach the Masai Mara, a familiar safari place to aficionados, its name is derived from the tribe residing on its soil, the Masai and the river flowing there, Mara. Animals abound in this land of 1,510 km2 and live with the locals.

The arrival in the village.

For us, it is clear that we must remain on the track for safety. Along the way, countless curious baboons come out of the bushes. Everything is dry with few vegetation and nearly  no trees, moreover we encounter no car. After two hours, one of us notices a strange place, a sort of large square among which stand some rough huts, surrounded by thorny bushes, piled on each other with just a small opening. Our curiosity is drawn by the discovery of something we already suppose amazing. With a total unconsciousness, we get off the car and enter into the middle of the square, in a place that seems abandoned.

The meeting

And then, suddenly, I have a look to the right and I see a dozen Masai standing in a circle, a long spear in their hands, probably doing some ritual dance. The shock … because at the same time, they see us, they stop for a few seconds and then come running to us. It is too late to go back and despite a real stress, I remember their elegance, their beauty. They are tall, thin with handsome faces, they wear red clothes, flashy as it is said today and colored jewelry around the neck, arms and ears. Their attitude shows a real amazement to see us, but they seem peaceful.

Why me?

Quickly I become the center of interest although I did not do anything for that !. Two of them approach, put a finger on my hair and seem surprised at the highest point. Obviously they have never met a woman with yellow hair!. They laugh together and touch my head one by one. They speak the dialect « Maa » (common to the different groups of East Africa), but not a word of English. Still, by gestures, we can understand each other. They ask with signs if we are the two men’wives . Their approach is funny to make themselves understand, they connect us man and woman, with a finger going to one and to the other, then with an amusing face, they simulate the sound of a kiss. Of course, we ask our fellows to nod firmly, what they do … phew!

The invitation

The »chief » shows us his hut made of earth and cow dung, curiously this amalgam doesn’t smell at all. Inside, a woman with a shaved head, smiles gently. (We will notice later that none of them has hair, one of their customs). We admire their shiny jewelry, they have a sense of colors to make a superb set.

We expect to leave when they ask us to come and see how they make fire, the procedure is known, they hold a stick of wood which they are quickly rotating between both hands on a bed of dry twigs. I feel as if I was almost back to the dawn of humanity…

The night falls rapidly in Africa, then something extraordinary happens, these men so far from our universe of white sanitized people, invite us to spend the night in one of their huts. The most intrepid of the four of us, agrees smiling

When it is time to eat our snack (!) despite the fact that they wish us to share their meal, we only accept goat milk and a little honey.

Under the starry night

Then, the Masai (men, women and children) sit around a fire and start singing… it’s magic, this is the real Africa … we will never forget those wonderful voices in the heat of darkness, a fabulous moment, time stops for those who listen. Late into the night, we are under the charm, how could it be otherwise ?

We do not sleep much, perhaps a little fearful in this unfamiliar world, I remember the dirt floor, the growl of a lion , steps around our hut, tears of a child and cries of some excited baboons, therefore before dawn, we sit outside to see the rising sun. Another precious time … but we must leave, the men come with us to the car, women and children stay in the huts. However, a beautiful little girl with long eyelashes and a skin like silk  runs after us, comes up to me, and gives me a bracelet with a smile, she probably made it.

What a lovely way to say goodbye …

To learn more about this ethnic group, read this blog article « Meet the Masai in Kenya and in Tanzania »

 

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