I am a Maasai, am no less than any tribe in Kenya. I am not of a lower brain capacity than any human in this world. I am not incapacitated in my conscious. I can speak, I can work and earn a living like any other being but I wonder why I remain an enigma to the society. I wonder am I treated as less of a human in the community.
Seated next to a woman in a matatu, an old maasai man in a shuka rushes to cross the road and she blabs, “Hizi Maasai, si zikae kwao kama haziwezi cross barabara.” (These Maasai should go back to their land if they can’t cross the road)
It’s a Saturday, you wake up late and get to the shop to buy milk and bread then you overhear a conversation in the third block, “Hizi Maasai ni izi sana, jana nimeibwa na ninajua ni hizi ndauwo!” (These Maasai watchmen are thieves, yesterday my property was stolen and am quite sure it’s these Maasais)
Buying a smokie in my neighborhood, a herd of Maasai cows suddenly roam the road and the seller blurts, “Sasa si hizi Maasai zirudi na ng’ombe zao kwao, wanaona ng’ombe zingine huku? Hawajui hii ni Nairobi?” (These Maasais should get their cows to their land, do they see any other cow here? Don’t they know that this is Nairobi?)
In all these occasions I am down struck yet I do not react why? Because conflict cannot be resolved by the level of thinking that created it. I keep calm despite the insult that demeans not only me but my mother, father, siblings, relatives, friends, people I look up to and my entire community. I decide not to rave in fury but I soothingly talk back, “Do you know am Maasai?”
It is then that the other party gets in shock and apologizes but then again says, “Wewe si Maasai wacha kunienjoy, wewe ni mKyuk!” (You ain’t a Maasai stop making fun of me, you must be Kikuyu) I leave feeling that maybe Maasai is not a better breed of beings but deep in me am truly hurt.
It starts with that conversation you have with your friend and he/she will find himself jabbering, “Unaona mimi ni Maasai jinga?” (Do you think am a stupid Maasai?) It proceeds to you presenting your portfolio to someone and deeply appreciate what you do. You tell them you are Maasai and you come from deep in Maasailand but say on your face that, “You are not Maasai, Maasai’s are not this bright. You must have been raised in the city. You must be a half cast! I have never seen a Maasai this bright.”
The thought that you are a lesser being, the thought that your people cannot be ‘that bright’ lives in you. It digs in your soul and becomes part of you. You get so used to demeaning words and make no move, no conflict whatsoever. It is then that you realize that you are fitting instead of standing out. It is then that you realize you are losing your culture, your affiliation to your tribe and you have compromised. You realize that you have accommodated all negative and demeaning statements that they are no longer a big deal. You have become what you say you are, arrogant, arrogant that when demeaning remarks are said upon you, you do not stand up and say ‘ENOUGH!’ Arrogant that you drop your Maasai name and culture to fit in.
A Maasai is a calm person. A person who loves peace and gives more of what he has to see good in the society. A Maasai loves his culture, if traditional regalia is what he has that is what he will wear, ANYWHERE, funny that the Maasai shuka is merchandised in local and international stores. A Maasai is unashamed, he speaks his language, ANYWHERE. A Maasai loves, he has a big heart, that no matter what you say to him/her he doesn’t retaliate, he/she is as humble as God created him. Do you take advantage of that? Do you take the free will of speech that no matter what you say have got nothing to fear? If you placed yourself under that shuka for just an hour, will you stand the mock of kids as they sing the Maasai demeaning song which we all know? Will you stand people taking advantage of you as you are not ‘well-aware’ of the big city?
We are people. One should not look at me and say am not Maasai because he’s deemed me a bright guy and Maasai are not bright people. I am Maasai and I still stick to my name, Siloma, not Stephen. I stick to my culture of taking ‘Olchani’ and speaking my language whenever I find another brother. I find my fellow Maasai selling herbs, make stories and buy from them. I talk to the Maasai watchmen around, making fun and take evening soup with them. This is because the world taught me class but I didn’t classify myself, this is because the world taught me hate but I have chosen to love, this is because the world taught me hate speech but my talk is soothing and mellow.
The world teaches everyone everything most of which are ills. Do you choose to stick to these or do you choose to stand out and make a difference? The would taught you that Maasais are dumb, naive, arrogant and stupid. I don’t blame you for that, but do you choose to keep this in your soul? Do you choose to see someone else a lesser being and say demeaning words that hurt them and put them down?
As you put that to ponder, enjoy the beautiful Maasai slider gallery below.
Photo Credit: David Lazar
#MaasaiAndProudOfIt #UnashamedToBeMaasai #Maasai4Maasai #AllAboutAMaasai
Cover Photo Credit: Slum Photography