So a mail pops in my inbox and this lengthy email from a beautiful Maasai lady unwraps itself and I don’t hesitate to write it. I have been doing Maasai activism articles before sharing from my own experiences and someone decided to share their bit too. Read her Story.
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Every blessing comes with a bunch of people hating on it or just unfortunate happenings. After my form four I was called to Egerton University for a science related course. I have always wanted to become a pilot perhaps to become the first female pilot in Kajiado. Coming from an average background and the struggle of raising school fees piercing like a thorn, this thought propelled into my mind and heart.
I shared my thoughts and ambitions with my father anyway. He is one of a kind cause despite the struggle, despite me being neither the only child nor the last born. His vivid words rang in my mind like a doorbell which said “Mum if what you want is to become a pilot for sure you will be. If I have to sell this home for that I will do it.” My heart sunk and tears rolled down my cheeks. Having been brought up to match a man, I fought the tears back and quickly composed myself. Sure enough I joined a flying school.
It was on a Monday morning reporting day and I was the last student to join the class. It was the session for introductions and my turn swooped in no second. “My name is Naipanoi Memusi…” The look on everyone’s face confirmed that either no one heard a thing or they just chose to assume my words. “Kwani unarap?”(Are you rapping) were the words that came from the class members as others were quick to ask if am Kenyan. “Yes am Kenyan and of Maasai origin,” I answered.
I felt like a weird creature maybe dropped from Mars, maybe with 10 limbs, deformed face and a prolonged head. The class quickly jumped into a discussion about the Maasai and their culture. I was down struck thinking, ‘Are Maasai weird creatures?’ Others even had the audacity to ask if my father sold land for me to fly and other demeaning comments tore my soul into these fragments of the feeling that I do not belong. It was lucky for me that I had experienced this before in other institutions schooling as the only Maasai in class.
I have learnt to stand up for myself and my culture but that didn’t mean I won’t cry myself to sleep after a day like that. I would ask God why we are treated as less of human beings and so forth. By the the time I was finishing my private pilot license everyone even the new students knew there is a Maasai student flying. One thing is for sure is that, though it takes the grace of God not to break someone’s jaw in the midst of that, it also takes a conscious self conviction not to get swayed. I perfectly get the people who lose themselves and fit in instead of standing out. It’s much less of a struggle but at the end of the day the right and noble thing isn’t always the easiest.