Traveling between national parks in Tanzania means, in my case, driving rather long distances. Although it meant spending quite a bit of time in the safari Jeep, my guide from Leopard Tours, John, offered great information about the local tribal culture.
Tanzania is home to 162 African tribes. Living closest to our route through the Ngorongoro Crater is the Masai. This nomadic group of people has a unique culture. As we drove several hours across the Tanzanian countryside, I marveled at the Masai that were present mile after mile.
The Masai live near the Ngorongoro Crater, and tending to their cattle is the most essential part of their culture. To show wealth to one another is done through two things: showing how many cattle they own and how many wives they keep. They are a polygamous society and seemingly live a primitive lifestyle. Although Tanzanian government mandates children to attend public school starting at seven, Masai children tend to stay home. The boys are in charge of helping move the cattle and goats, while the girls gather wood and help build the homes in the village. Throughout the countryside, they are dressed in traditional clothing called Shuka. Watching the Masai and young children stand along the road and tend to the animals was fascinating. This isn't an event for tourists. This is their culture and a glimpse into their daily life.
I wanted to learn more.
One day, towards the end of our safari, John offered to stop at a Masai village. He said that I could visit a village to learn more. Without a doubt, I wanted to take advantage of this unique and culturally authentic visit.
When I arrived, the chief's son greeted me and spoke perfect English. He offered to show me his village and explain the culture, which he is incredibly proud of. His village included 117 people; 23 were children. As I looked around, I wondered if he counted the young boys I saw along the roadside taking care of the livestock. He shared that they own 74 cattle and 100 sheep, which supports the community.
What seemed to be the entire village came, and I was greeted with a ceremonial welcome song and dance. Gender roles are strict, and my guide insisted that I stand with the women. They immediately welcomed me, insisted I wear one of their ornate necklaces, and held my hand. They didn't speak English but communicated with warm smiles and body language. They were genuinely happy I came to visit and learn more. This visit was not prearranged, and we literally stopped and inquired if we could understand more about their tribe.
After the welcome ceremony, the chief's son brought me to his home. It was more of a hut, with two distinct rooms -- one for the parents and one for the children. There was no electricity, running water, or available light, except the small window casting light on his face. A young woman emerged with a baby who was about six months of age. Not wearing a diaper but clad in traditional clothing, they left when I was invited inside.
From the hut, I was invited to shop in their market, which included handicrafts made by some of the villagers.
Once I perused the items and selected a few to purchase, he asked if I was interested in seeing his school. Absolutely! I walked in mid-lesson to the smallest classroom imaginable. The students were ages five and six, and as soon as I stepped in, they immediately stood and greeted me with a welcome song in Swahili. One of the many tenets Ron Clark teaches his students at The Ron Clark Academy is to stand and greet adults when they come. Was I observing Ron Clark's philosophy in this impoverished village in Africa? I couldn't believe it! There was a somewhat worn chalkboard at the front with basic lesson information, and the teacher was a fourteen-year-old boy who believed in the importance of education. Fourteen! The children eagerly invited me to sit with them, and one little boy had a notebook with math notes he had taken. I looked at it and thought, "An interactive math notebook. In this remote village."
The children had bright smiles and, similar to the school in Nungwi, Zanzibar, were incredibly happy. With that said, there were so many kids coughing. I immediatelly worried about their access to nutrition and health care. My heart broke, and I wanted to stay and teach them. When it was time to say goodbye and let them resume their learning, they stood again and sang a song of gratitude for coming to visit. More Ron Clark in this Masai community.
Visiting the Masai village was the most authentic view of their culture. Travel is about learning new cultures and seeing different ways of life. They are beautiful people holding on to a traditional way of life.
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