The Masaai Age-Set

The life of a Masaai involves ceremonies frombuild endurance and courage. Once they reach the
birth until one becomes a senior elder. The deadage of 12 to 25 years depending on the last
are not highly regarded and they are throwncircumcision ceremony, they are circumcised and
away to be eaten by scavengers. Once a child isthey become junior morans. This is a very painful
born, it is not fully accepted into the society untilprocess that is done with no anesthetics. The
3 moons pass. This is as a result of the highelders who circumcise the boys do it with a sharp
infant mortality rate. Once the 3 months areknife and use cow hides as bandages. The boys
over, a ceremony is performed where the babytake 3 to 4 months to heal.
is shaved and later named and accepted in theAfter the circumcision, they are adorned in black
society. Girls grow up beside there mothers andclothes for the next eight months. They live in a
they learn from an early age all the house holdmanyatta build by there mothers. These shelters
chores such as cooking, cleaning, fetching fordo not have a secure wall encompassing them as
water and milking. The woman is the one whomost Masaai homesteads have. This is to
does most of the hard work in the Masaaiemphasize on there role as the protectors of the
community. She even builds the shelters.community. The junior morans become the junior
The boy is not charged with much from the timeelders and subsequently senior elders during the
they can walk. They spend most of the timenext circumcision cycle which takes place after 15
playing and looking after lambs and calves. Ritualyears.
beating is a must for the boys to make them