The Maasai
It's hard to visit Kenya and not make a trip to the Maasai Mara to visit the nomadic Maasai people who live there.
Despite the isolation of these villages, hints of modern society seep in. I love the contrast of the mud houses and traditional Maasai blankets with the moddern socks and sneakers worn by the Maasai man pictured.
A typical morning in the life of the Maasai as they walk their cattle out to pasture. The leader (back left) explained to us that the number of cattle a man has is a measure of wealth. He was sure to boast that he is a wealthy man.
Becoming a Maasai warrior is a long process involving many tests of courage. This man was something of a celebrity in the community. He has only one ear, the other was lost during a rite of passage ritual in which a man must kill a lion.
The man is proud of his handmade blade. He uses it for everything from cutting wood and slaughtering animals to starting fires.
Here a young Maasai girl cares for her younger sibling. It is common in a Maasai village to find young girls are responsible for chores such as cooking, milking animals and caring for siblings, skills which they learn from their mothers at an early age.
