I spent the last day and a half in Kenaya Village at the base of the Ngong Hills. It is absolutely beautiful. The scenery is like nothing I have ever seen. The Ngong Hills are misty and blue above the long, flat, acacia-tree-filled valley. I arrived with my host David who brought me in from Nairobi where he goes to Theology school. He was very kind and very generous. Once in the village I met Mama Moses who would cook all of my meals for the duration of my stay. After a period of observation she gave me my Maasai name, Nasarian, which means peaceful.
I then began my crash course in Maasai. The village is made up of manyatas which are classic mud and stick style huts. The villagers are amazing. Everyone was so kind and warm, especially the children. The village was composed of the Dad, his four wives (the Mamas), their respective families and one of the older sons (Amos) and his wife and children. I felt very much during my time there that I was having the traditional African experience. I gathered firewood with Alice (Amos’ wife) and we carried it back to the village on our heads. I worked on beads with Mama Moses I went to the primary school and watched the weekly flag raising ceremony.
I have many pictures to share and some are very funny. The Maasai have a wonderful sense of humor and laugh all the time. The children love to sing and dance and performed many of the songs they learn in school for Carley (the other volunteer) and me. Carley was very helpful in showing me the ropes as she had been there for nearly a week. They called her Nashipai which means happiness and suits her well. She is a teacher from Portland and is much better with meeting and conversing with everyone that I am. I am so thankful that she is around. It is challenging to be in such a foreign world and it is nice to have a companion while doing so.
We took a long walk yesterday evening along the road near dusk. Some of the children joined us near the end and we went closer to the bush to look at the giraffes which come nearer in the evenings. The children like to touch our skin and hair and correct our pronunciation of Maasai words. They laughed at our blue veins which they can see so well on white skin.
Many of the older children have gone through primary and secondary schools and many plan to attend college. They tell me that they are modern Maasai and they seem so invested in their tribe and their families. Of all that I spoke with who plan to attend college or university not one said that they wanted to stay away. They have set up many youth and women’s groups which meet often to discuss life and problems. The youth groups are AIDS educators and go around to the various villages speaking with their elders about prevention techniques and working to dispel myths that AIDS is a curse and not a disease. They are so empowered, strong and intelligent.
– Casey O’Connor