Maasai , Oldonyonyokie

I'm just back from a trip to Oldonyonyokie, Massai land. The Massai are an interesting people; they are one of the last tribes in Kenya to maintain their traditional culture. Oldonyonyokie is in the Rift Valley. The Rift Valley is certainly an inhospitable place, it is difficult to imagine that it is the birthplace of humanity. It is barren. There is no water, the only vegetation is scrub brush and the occasional lonesome tree.
We visited a school; we gave health education seminars to the children, young adults and adults. HEART has an established relationship with this village, through HEART the school has received a water tank with a hookup to a pipeline, several new classrooms, and a library. The school was vibrant, the children and administrators have taken many steps to improve their situation. The head administrator and chief were clearly bright and effective. The school received an award for most improved school in its district last year, and 28 of the 35 students who stood for the nationwide form 8 exams passed last year.
When we first arrived we played with the students, usually we play with the children after we give the health seminars but it was so hot we wanted to play first. I played volleyball; my team won! The students are impressive athletes. A number of the older (13 year old) children were able to spike the ball (the net wasn't regulation height, but close). I was also impressed with how seriously the children took the rules of the game; there was a child with a whistle who made all the calls and kept score. Two younger children also stood on the sidelines and helped the referee make out of bounds calls.
After the health seminars the school children sang and danced for us; it was the most beautiful thing I have seen in Kenya. The songs were choreographed elaborately, the other performances we have seen involved dancing and swaying but the Massai didn't just dance, they performed. They performed three different dances, a dance traditionally performed by young people at weddings, a modern worship song, and a dance performed by young men. The students danced in line formations, there were three columns, they rearranged their lines throughout the dance. They moved in a unique way, they didn't moved their hips so much as their necks. They also slowly lowered themselves into lunges periodically, they did this as they moved their necks. I can't adequately describe it. They sang as they danced. They sang in a call and response system, the music was not melodic. The sound reminded me of a sea chantey, it had a mournful quality. The combination of their song and dance was powerful, it had a religious quality. I was near to tears.
The Massai are an interesting people. You know the pictures of women with stretched necks with elaborate beading? Those are the Massai peoples. The men wear red cloth draped around them and they carry spears. Traditional Massai culture has several unfortunate aspects, polygamy is accepted, girls marry young, and female circumcision is a right of passage. I was asked several times how many children I have, it was assumed that I was married. The girls were shocked when I told the that not only did I not have children, I was not married!
I will have another opportunity to interact with Massai people, I leave tomorrow to go up country for four days, we will be staying in a Massai village near Mt. Kilimanjaro. I will also take some pictures of people in traditional garb, I didn't really have an opportunity to take many pictures on my trip to Oldonyonyokie (playing volleyball is not conducive to taking pictures. . . ).
Best,
Margaret