The Maasai People of Kenya by Emily Williamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq By: Emily Williamson en-us 2018-11-09 16:53:28 UTC 2025-12-12 11:17:00 UTC hello@padlet.com Who are the Maasai People of Kenya? emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302661756 2018-11-09 16:59:43 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302661756 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302670481 The Maasai Tribe is the "most authentic ethnic tribe of Kenya" (Maasai Tribe, 2015). The Maasai Tribe have stuck to their traditional practices in life, which have made them one of the most prominent symbol of Kenyan culture. This tribe has a unique and distinctive culture and style. which I will be exploring in relation to beauty.]]> 2018-11-09 17:15:30 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302670481 Clothing & Hair emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302675698 2018-11-09 17:25:22 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302675698 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302676408 The Maasai tribe's clothing usually consists of animals skins. However, nowadays the people of Maasai wear red wraps, which are called shukas. These wraps are typically worn around their body and accessorized with beaded jewelry on their arms and neck. The colour of the wraps might change depending on the occasion, age and gender, but red is the most prominent colour in this tribe. Their footwear is usually sandals, sometimes made out of motorcycle tries. Men usually have clay and pigment in their hair to make it appear red. The people of the Maasai Tribe also shave their heads, buzz-cut length, for low-maintenance. ]]> 2018-11-09 17:26:47 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302676408 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302681573 2018-11-09 17:36:39 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302681573 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302682559 This picture shows a group of Maasai women dressed in traditional shukas with traditional beaded jewelry.
Retrieved November 9, 2018  from https://thejohndicesares.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/africa-disc-2-704.jpg ]]> 2018-11-09 17:38:19 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302682559 Body Modifications emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302685557 2018-11-09 17:43:57 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302685557 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302689080 The most common body modification among the Maasai people is the piercing and stretching of earlobes. Piercings consist of bright coloured and intricate designs and there would often be many earrings on the ears. The stretching of earlobes on a woman in the tribe is what makes them be considered as beautiful. 
In addition, some members create scars on their bodies. For men, it is a sign of bravery and they are usually located on their arms or legs. For women, scars are usually on their faces, which represents beauty in their tribe (Maasai Customs and Traditions, 2015)
Another modification the tribe practices is the removal of teeth. There is a belief in the tribe that some canine teeth cause illnesses, so removing them acts a remedy. Sometimes they remove teeth on the lower jaw to help feed infants or when a disease arises and their jaw becomes locked (Maasai Culture, 2018).

]]> 2018-11-09 17:50:18 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302689080 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302709507 2018-11-09 18:33:13 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302709507 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302710616 This image above shows an elder male tribe member who has a modified his body by stretching and piercing his ears. Retrieved November 9, 2018 from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/how-to-safely-stretch-your-ears]]> 2018-11-09 18:35:29 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302710616 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302767537 This photo shows a young Maasai Tribe member who has gone through the teeth removal ritual. Retrieved November 9 2018 from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2663704/Cow-dung-collars-elaborate-squid-hairstyles-wives-swapped-cattle-Rare-photos-Angolas-tribal-people.html]]> 2018-11-09 20:38:07 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302767537 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302767778 2018-11-09 20:39:00 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302767778 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302774484 2018-11-09 21:03:40 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302774484 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302774738 In this photo, a young female Maasai child is seen with the traditional bead work and a circular scar on her face. The circular scars on a females face make them beautiful in the tribe. Retrieved November 9 2018 from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/145522631679463449/?lp=true]]> 2018-11-09 21:04:34 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302774738 Quick Facts About the Tribe emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302775440 2018-11-09 21:07:37 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302775440 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302776207 o There are over 1 million Maasai Tribe members living in Kenya and Tanzania
o They don't typically write anything down. They have very strong oral communication skills and there is a deep tradition in the art of oral communication
o The language they speak is called "Maa"
o For the Maasai people, cows are extremely important and are seen as prized possessions. A healthy herd of cattle is a sign of wealth
o They move  their tribe based on seasonal rotations
o The Maasai Tribe is called the "world's last great warrior cultures" (Maasai Tribe, 2015)]]> 2018-11-09 21:11:18 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302776207 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302778039 2018-11-09 21:21:24 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302778039 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302778191 This picture shows a group of Maasai men wearing shukas. In comparison to what the women wear, men don't wear as much beaded jewelry and don't have as much piercings/ear stretching. Retrieved November 9 2018 from https://gracetheglobe.wordpress.com/tag/masai/]]> 2018-11-09 21:22:03 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302778191 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302780008 2018-11-09 21:30:42 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302780008 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302780255 This photo shows a Maasai warrior, which is one of the most respected roles, with scars that show his bravery and age. Retrieved November 9 2018 from https://sophiemorrisseyphotography.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/scars-of-a-masai-warrior/]]> 2018-11-09 21:31:59 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302780255 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782233 2018-11-09 21:41:48 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782233 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782289 This image shows a Maasai woman in traditional clothing with her ears stretched. Retrieved November 9 2018 from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/145522631680409324/?lp=true]]> 2018-11-09 21:42:01 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782289 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782903 2018-11-09 21:44:55 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782903 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782924 This map of where the Maasai Tribe are located. Retrieved November 9 2018 from http://www.maasai-association.org/maasai.html]]> 2018-11-09 21:45:03 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302782924 References emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785368 5 Things You Need to Know about the Maasai. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2018, from https://www.worktheworld.com/blog/5-things-you-need-know-about-maasai
Maasai. (2018, August 4). Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Maasai#Body_art_and_modification
Maasai Culture & History: Understanding the Soul of East Africa. (2018, January 29). Retrieved November 09, 2018, from https://www.zegrahm.com/blog/maasai-culture-history-understanding-soul-east-africa
Maasai: The authentic people of Kenya - a tourist favorite. (2015). Retrieved November 09, 2018, from http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/maasai-tribe.html
J. (2015, December 27). Masai Customs and Traditions. Retrieved November 09, 2018, from https://allthingskenyan.com/countries/kenya/masai-customs-and-traditions
]]> 2018-11-09 21:57:12 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785368 Summary emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785428 2018-11-09 21:57:31 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785428 emwilliamson https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785473 After researching the Maasai Tribe in Kenya, many of their beauty practices and beliefs are very different from North America's. To start off, the tribes clothing is extremely different from ours. The Maasai people only dress in shukas, mainly in the colour red, and have very bright and heavy beaded jewelry. While, in North America, we have many different styles of clothing. For example, vintage, casual, boho, chic, etc. The tribe's clothing and accessories include a lot of bright colours that match with age, sex, and occasion. 
Something else that is drastically different is the body modification that takes place in the tribe. While we do have some body modifications in North America, it is not as common as it is in the Maasai tribe. Everyone in the tribe has some sort of modification to their body. In addition, some modifications mean different things. For example, scarring is purposely done to the body for bravery or beauty. While in North America, sometimes scars are seen as bad or 'ugly'. 
The removal of teeth and buzz-cut hair is also something that jumped out to me. In North America, a perfect white smile is a trait that some consider beautiful. However, in the Maasai Tribe, they remove teeth for functionality or belief. Again, in North America, long beautiful hair is considered beauty. But in the tribe they just shave it right off because it is easier to take care of.
Some of these differences could be a result of one being a developed world and the other not. However, looking past that, I believe that the Maasai Tribe believe in tradition and functionality, while we in North America care about our appearances more. ]]> 2018-11-09 21:57:44 UTC https://padlet.com/emwilliamson/joys5fht6puq/wish/302785473