In Kenya, a gathering of young Maasai tribesmen is taking place that wont happen again for a generation.
In the past, the gathering lasted all year, and required young warriors to sleep and survive in the rough, hunt lions, and learn to fight with spears. The goal was to form the leadership of the clans’ next generation.
Now however, the training camp, called the “Enkipaata,” is cultivating a different kind of clan leadership. The 900 or so young warriors attend for only one month—in line with the school holiday so as not to disrupt education. Spears are replaced with sticks, and while wilderness survival skills are still practiced, so are the skills needed for the tribes to survive the 21st century.
With shrinking grazing rights and climate change altering the patterns of rain and pastures, the Maasai need engineers and lawyers more than lion hunters.
The Enkipaata is formed by selecting the most promising youth from the clans of Maasai people across Kenya and Tanzania. Gathering in Narok County, Kenya, they learn essential Maasai values of respect, leadership, and cultural preservation.
Chief Ole Ngoshoshi of the Irkitoip age group stressed the importance of maintaining cultural practices to avoid losing respect within the community, urging the younger generation to safeguard their traditions.
NEWS FROM THE MARA: Transforming Lion Killers into ‘Lion Guardians’ in Africa
“If you lack respect, there will be disorder among the clans,” he said, according to Africa News.
The Maasai have always lived close with the land, and the camp includes a training session on reforestation—seen as a necessary skill for the future generations.
MORE INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE: Bison Ranchers Return Thousands of Animals to Native Lands and Witness Total Rejuvenation of Ecosystem
At the conclusion of the Enkipaata, a feast was prepared for the attendant clans from the meat of a ceremonial and blessed bull. The graduating class was given the name “Iltaretu,” symbolizing unity and hope, and encouraged to preserve the traditions they just undertook, and pursue education.
SHARE This Tribe Adapting To The Challenges Of The Modern World…