Mzungu Mimics Maasai

Once again I seem to be lagging in my updates to the blog.  However, I had good reason this last week while I was making a return visit to the Masai Mara.  With the advent of the USB modem, internet connections have been fairly reliable and strong anywhere that you can get a cell phone signal.  I say fairly because I discovered that I strong signal does not always equate to a good internet connection.  However, I digress on the main topic.

I decided that I would take a few days in traveling back to Nairobi from Bungoma in Western Kenya.  So, on Tuesday morning I packed up my belongings and started east.  I drove south through Kisumu and then turned southeast to Kericho and then east to Narok.  Narok is the stepping off point for anyone going into the Mara by road.

Wednesday morning I got up and made the drive to the Sekenani Gate of the Mara where I met my friend Jonathan.  The whole point of the trip was not to see wildlife but to spend some time with Jonathan and getting a better understanding of life as a Maasai.  Jonathan is the guide that I met while doing my safari about a month ago.  This trip was definitely a step down in budget.  I stayed at a rustic camp owned and operated by the Maasai.  It at least had running hot water and some electricity so I wasn't completely roughing it.

The whole of Kenya is in a terrible drought.  However, the Maasai are pastoralists and are truly suffering from the lack of rain.  There entire wealth is measured in head of cattle and goats.  With the lack of water and grazing area, they are facing the loss of a significant head of livestock.  There is competition between the livestock and wildlife as they compete for the same dwindling water in the rivers and watering holes.  In fact, Jonathan's uncle lost 2 cows to elephants the day that I arrived.

Because I had the rental car, we agreed that we would spend Thursday driving the Mara to check on some areas that were said to still have some graze and water.  It was an all day task.  I was amazed at how much drier the Mara seemed to be just one month after my last visit.  The grasses all seemed to be cropped right to the ground by the grazing wildlife and livestock.  The river beds were either dry or pools of murky and stagnant water.  I saw numerous dead cattle in various states of decay.

The picture for this entry was taken at the temporary homestead for a friend of Jonathan's named Francis.  A temporary shelter sat on the crest of a hill with dust blowing all about it.  The structure was made of small branches woven to make a house.  Rather than the normal waddle of mud and manure, they had simply put some fabric across the side that received most of the wind.  There were 4 women present and 15 children.  One was Francis' wife, one was a mother to his father, and the other two were sister in laws.

The children were absolutely filthy.  Jonathan explained that with the lack of water they really hadn't been able to bath for about a month.  They typically are getting their liquid in the form of milk from the families' herds of goats.  They all looked small and thin, although not malnourished.  I know that they are nearing that point as food is scarce in this area.  They had a goat's head cooking on the fire.  I can't imagine that there is much meat on a goat's head, but it must provide some nourishment.

The children were completely enthralled with seeing an 'mzungu' up close.  I greeted each of them the typical Maasai way.  An adult lightly places his/her hand on the head of the child.  They've all seen Caucasians in safari jeeps, but had never been able to touch one.  They were enthralled with my skin and swarmed me so that they could rub the skin on my arms.  Some of the older ones noticed that I had quite a bit of arm hair and would lightly pull on it to see what it was like.  Kenyans, as a whole, do not have much hair (if any) on their arms. They stroked my arms the entire time I was with them, laughing and giggling amongst themselves.

I have to admit that I had thoughts of germs passing through my mind during this time.  As I placed my hand on some of the heads, I could not help but see the common characteristics of ringworm on some of them.  As they rubbed my arm, I looked at the dirt that seemed to have become almost a second skin on their hands and under their fingernails.  I thought about my immune system and wondered if I was putting it at any additional stress.  And yet, I also thought, who cares?  Children the world over are simply children.  They're curious, gentle and explorative.  They simple found me to be of intrigue or amusement and I was happy to be with them.

After a bit of a visit, we decided to proceed to the village "just down the hill."  Francis wanted to buy me lunch.  It was going to be nyama choma or grilled meat.  His wife came along so that she could get some vegetables and corn meal to take back to the family.  The just down the hill was probably another 20-30 minute drive at slow pace necessitated by the landscape.  The good thing was that it was also towards the Mara River and Mara Triangle where water and pasture were thought to be better.

The little village was made up of small stores (dukas), a couple of butcheries, and numerous bars.  Alcohol is such a problem in some areas and this seemed to be no different.  We bought some goat meat and had sodas while we waited for the food to be cooked.  The meal consisted of goat, potatoes, onions, and a side of ugali (the corn meal staple).  It was absolutely delicious and I ended up gorging myself.  The wife was able to buy some maize and wilted vegetables to take home.  We dropped her off as we made the 12-18 mile return trip.

Jonathan spoke to his family and they agreed that they would need to move the livestock.  Together, the family probably has close to 600 head of cattle.  The men will move the livestock to the SLIGHTLY greener area where water will be available.  They'll also continue to pray for the rains to arrive.  The meteorologists are promising El Nino rains but they've eluded this area so far.

Jonathan showed me a stretch of the river that is normally free flowing.  I looked down from a high point on the bank and saw 60+ hippos literally on top of each other trying to stay wet and cool.  The smell was incredible.  The water is not moving and so their waste floated across the top of the water.  If you think of a stagnant pond with manure instead of algae growth, then you have a good idea of the sight.  It was disgusting.

As Americans, we take water for granted.  We want our perfectly green lawns and so sometimes cheat on watering days imposed by municipalities.  We actually buy bottled water slickly marketed by companies when we have perfectly clean water running in our taps.  We throw half a load of laundry into the washing machine because we can't bear to where one of the many clean shirts in our closet, but instead want the one that is in the hamper.

The morning I left we dropped off a niece of Jonathan's at the school that is within the town of Talek.  Talek is one of the gates going into the official Masai Mara Reserve.  It is a small collection of buildings housing markets for the local population.  That are of the Talek River is also a little higher although not really a running stream.  The children near the town are fortunate in that they are able to get water from one of the two wells in the 2 mile radius of the town or from that portion of the river.  Each child had a container with water for drinking.  These containers were mainly leftover vegetable oil containers and were a half gallon or gallon.  Even through the opaque whiteness of the container, I could see that the water was not clear.  Most of the water was a tan color.  I couldn't help but think of what this would do to my system.  In fact, in another area of the country, there is a cholera outbreak because the water people are getting is stagnant and contaminated.

The lesson I am taking away from this is that conservation of our resources is absolutely vital.  There are many reasons for the situation here in Kenya and I need to write an entry on it.  However, I know that upon return to the States I will think twice before taking a long shower.

Lakes Baringo and Bogoria

After a week in Nairobi, I was more than ready to head out of the city.  Nairobi is a city of over 3 million people.  It's incredibly congested with serious traffic and air pollution problems.  It's a modern city with 24 hour grocery stores, cinemas, etc.  It's also a city of wealth and a city of poverty.  Many expatriates make their homes in some of the leafy suburbs.  However, it is also home to many slum areas.

Kibera is the most (in)famous of all of the slums.  It is the second largest slum to Soweto in South Africa.  It is home to an estimated population of up to 1.2 million people.  It is less than 1% of the total area of Nairobi yet accounts for over 25% of it's population.  To put it into perspective, consider that an average of 4 or 5 people live in an area that is 10 feet by 10 feet.

If I paint a bad picture of Nairobi, it's because it is not really one of my favorite places.  It is simply too congested, too polluted, and to noisy for my tastes.  Also, I don't like discrepancy in living situations is for the people in Nairobi.  As an mzungu, there would be only certain areas where I could 'safely' live.  These are in the wealthier areas where services are abundant and comparable to a modern city in the US.  I can go to YaYa Shopping Center and have my latte, shop in an upscale department store, get my haircut, and shop at a butcher that carries 'exotic' meat such as duck or filet mignon.  I don't dispute the fact that some people will be wealthier than others, but I sometimes look around me while in Nairobi and consider whether or not my fellow 'mzungus' comprehend the magnitude of wealth discrepancy.

Anyway, back to Lakes Baringo and Bogoria.  Rather than driving straight back to Bungoma, I decided that I would spend my birthday doing a little side expedition.  I had been wanting to go to Lake Nakuru National Park to see the flamingos, but knew that the low water levels have effected the numbers resting there.  Lake Bogoria is only about an hour and a half north of Nakuru and has an equal number of resident flamingos.  It also comes with an entrance fee of about $10 versus the $60 at Lake Nakuru.  Lake Baringo, which lies just north of Bogoria, has a large number of hippos and over 450 species of birds.

The lakes sit down on the floor of the Rift Valley.  Because of the geographical setting, it tends to be much hotter and more humid than other areas of Kenya.  Also, Lake Baringo is unique in that it is a fresh water lake whereas most of the lakes in the Rift Valley are salt water.  I chose to stay at a camp and cottage site called Robert's Camp.  It proved to be a great choice for relaxation.  I was in a cottage that sat about 150 yards from the lake's edge.  It was a two story cottage with a second floor porch that would prove useful for hippo viewing.

The area around the lakes are inhabited by three separate tribes.  The majority are probably the Njemps sub-group of the Maasai.  They are also known as the Ilchamus, but are commonly referred to as Njemps because the early British settlers had trouble pronouncing Ilchamus.  There are also some Turkana and Pokots.  These tribes are all pastoralists and so there tends to be a fair amount of livestock rustling among them.  The Njemps differ from other Maasai in the sense that they also will fish for food.

Lake Baringo was beautiful and the hippos and birds plentiful.  However, because of the severe drought, the hippos are having difficulties getting enough grasses for nourishment.  The owners of the camp have been feeding hay to the hippos through a program with the World Wildlife Fund.  In fact, the week before I had arrived, a small baby hippo was found dead of malnourishment.  The first night there, the owners were drizzling molasses (from a 5 gallon container) over the straw in order to provide additional nourishment.

The benefit of the hippo feeding was that it guaranteed that the hippos would come up on land late in the afternoon and provide wonderful photo opportunities.  The downside of this was that the hippos would come up on land in the late afternoon and then stay in the area for the night.  Hippos are large and mean animals.  They are not to be toyed with.  The first night there, two hippos came right up next to the downstairs patio of my cottage.  I was able to watch them from the comfort of being 10 feet directly above them.  Their scent is quite strong.  The nighttime askaris (watchmen) had to shine flashlights on them from a distance which slowly forced them to move away from the cottage.

On the second day, I drove down to Lake Bogoria.  Aside from the flamingos, there are a number of geysers.  The birds, up close, do not look all that pink.  However, from a distance, the pink highlights in their feathers really shows off.  I also realized that only when they are in flight do you see the really bright pink that is on their wings.  There were literally thousands upon thousands of them in the water.

The geysers were not high shooting ones the way Old Faithful is.  However, they were constantly spewing water rather than doing it in bursts as I think of a geyser.  Other geysers were simply pools of water that looked like a giant pot on the stove.  The heat coming off of them was quite intense.

The area really helped me to see more of the beauty of nature that I think we too often take for granted.  It also showed the effects of mismanagement of natural resources combined with the normal weather cycle and global warming.  Kenya is undergoing such a sever drought that has been exasperated by deforestation of watersheds for cooking.  This saga is being repeated across the world, most notably in the Amazon.  The problem is that the critical point has really hit home in Kenya.  The cattle I did see in the area were absolutely emaciated.  One old man was down to two cattle remaining and they looked as if they were on their last legs.  In a culture where livestock represents ALL of your wealth, this is quite sad.

It is the beginning of October and the short rains should be falling.  The meteorologists have predicted that El Nino will help this year, but it hasn't begun in the Rift Valley.  I'm back in Bungoma where the rains have started up.  I just pray that the same happens soon in the rest of the country.

I was 'forced to drink blood at US varsity'

This was the headline of one of the stories I read in yesterday's issue of The Daily Nation, one of Kenya's main newspapers.  Although the story is still about allegations, rather than determined facts, I cannot help but believe that there is quite a bit of truth to it.  Here are some excerpts from the entire story:

A Kenyan has sued his former college and it athletics coach for allegedly forcing him to drink blood four years ago.

Mr. Charles Ngetich filed suit against Central Connecticut State University and retired track coach Mr. George Kawecki last Thursday alleging he was subjected to three years of racism.

Mr. Ngetich was allegedly forced to drink blood before being kicked out of the athletics team.  He lost his scholarship and was dismissed on September 4, 2009.

The lawyer, Ms. Josephine Miller, says in 2005 the coach told Mr. Ngetich he would like to see him drink blood.

Mr. Ngetich thought he was joking and declined but two weeks later, Mr. Kawecki approached him again, saying he had seen a documentary about a Kenyan group that drinks blood for rituals.

"At a track team meeting... Kawecki produced a cup of blood, told (Ngetich) he was too thin, needed calcium and demanded that he drinks it."

Why do people (allegedly) act in such a way?  People who are in positions of power abuse their position and cause pain to others.  Why do people act in such a racist and despicable manner?  Why do I have to speak out against the actions of some of my fellow Americans?  When will we learn that our actions perpetuate the feelings of dislike against us as a country?

I'd prefer not to write about this at all, but I have been involved in a couple of Facebook discussion threads on speaking out against others who are racially motivated.  I've stated that one has to speak out or he/she is condoning the action.  Those threads were about the vitriolic state of the health care debate, but the principal carries over into this specific story as well.

I cannot purport to know what documentary Coach Kawecki saw, but I have to assume that it might have been one on the Maasai tribe.  There are around 40 separate indigenous tribes in Africa and the Maasai are one of the smaller ones in terms of numbers.  However, they are probably one of the most well recognized ones due to their proximity to the Masai Mara wildlife and adherence to traditional practices and wardrobe.

So, is it a ritual to drink blood?  I wouldn't call it a ritual so much as simply common practice.  The Maasai people are herders and pastoralists.  They herd cows and goats and that is the measure of their wealth.  They do not grow crops.  Because they do not have crops, their diet is "peculiar" when compared to what we eat in the United States.  They rely almost entirely on either meat, dairy or some combination thereof.  Eating meat on a daily basis would mean diminishing their wealth through the killing of animals.  Thus, they rely on milk and blood.  They will "bleed" an animal and drink the blood as a way to get nourishment.  It's simply the way it is.

It is sadly ironic that Ngetich was forced (again, allegedly) to do something that is closely associated with the Maasai.  I did a quick Google search to find out what tribe is associated with the name "Ngetich."  It came back as part of the Kipsigis tribe, which is a sub-tribe of the Kalenjins.  The Kipsigis live mainly in the Kericho District which borders the Maasai lands.  I say, sadly ironic, because there was a lot of post-election violence in this area in January, 2008.

Wesley Ngetich, a well known Kenyan marathon runner, was killed in January 2008 during clashes with some people of the Maasai tribe.  The post-election violence is a matter that is still being dragged out without resolution.  However, the idea that an American coach would assume that ALL Kenyans partake in the same tribal practices shows his ignorance about Kenyan cultures.

I'd like to apologize to Charles for the actions of my fellow countryman.  I hope that he understands that not everyone in the United States condones the actions of the few.  I hope he is able to continue his university studies.  I hope that he can come away from this with more good memories than bad memories.

I Can Make a Difference, But I Can't Do It All

This post may end up sounding like a complaint but I don't really mean it that way.  It's just a way to point out the reality of what I've done, what I am doing, and what I can't do.  It's about the ability to do things with the backing of an organization versus on one's own.

When I first started coming to Kenya, I was volunteering with an organization that had infrastructure and the ability to pool resources.  I had a vehicle for transportation, a generator for a TV and video player, Kenyan staff support, and other volunteers to share the instructional duties.  That  support ended when I left the organization for reasons that I felt were well founded and necessary.  However, in doing so, it meant that I had a lot more responsibility to shoulder on my own.

Last August I did a 5 day Train-the-Trainers program in the village of Kimilili.  It was a class that got passed over by the organization for which I had been volunteering.  I felt that it was not their fault and that they deserved the opportunity so that they could better their community.  The organizer of that group is/was a very strong go-getter and organizer.  She gathered together 23 individuals and made sure that they were present and on time every day.

What did this mean for me.  It meant that I had to shoulder all of the expenses and logistics.  So, I printed off 24 copies of the manual.  I got a friend to accompany me each day for translation.  It meant that I paid him for his time, his transportation, and his lunch.  It meant that I traveled 3 hours each way to Kisumu in order to get "Red Ribbon" pins for each of the participants.  It meant that we spent at least an hour traveling each way to class on a matatu.  It meant that I talked for the whole time (minus the translation) rather than sharing the day with another mzungu.  Bottom line, it meant more energy than I really had to offer.

But, I have to say that it was completely worth it.  The group was incredibly attentive and welcoming.  They asked great questions which kept me on my toes.  I love it when I have to tell a class I don't know the answer but will look it up on the internet and get back to you.

So, fast forward a year and I'll give you an update.  I made arrangements to revisit the group.  After all, I had pictures taken on our final day to hand out.  I had promised to give them a CD with some resource materials, and I wanted and update on how they were getting along.  It took a while to get the date set, but it was finalized and so off I went with my friend/translator.

We arrived in Kimilili about an hour and 15 minutes later than the set time, which was still about a half hour early based on African time.  I was a little surprised by this since Sarah, the organizer, always had people there on the true time.  Slowly people trickled in to the room.  I was becoming a bit perplexed as to why I recognized so few people.  I've trained a lot of people and may not remember names, but I normally recognize faces.  Come to find out, this was a new group of people that she was hoping to train.  Only 3 people, including Sarah, had been through the training from a year ago.

It basically meant that the program I had planned for the day was not going to be entirely relevant.  I had wanted to hear an update on their successes and trials over the year.  I had prepared two exercises that built on the knowledge of what I had taught them a year before.  Instead, I was faced with a group of people eager to learn yet not ready for what I had to teach.  However, I plugged away at what I had prepared and hoped for the best.

Now, here comes the frustration part of my blog.  That frustration is that I can't deliver what people sometimes want from me.  It's not that I wouldn't want to do it all, it's just that I can't.  In the end, Sarah wanted to know when I would be able to train the new group.  Would I be able to do it by the end of the month (September)?  That would have meant doing it this coming week.  Then when I said know, she decided that I would be able to do it by the 8th of October.  Again, I had to tell her that I could not give her an answer as my schedule was not set yet.  Plus, it caught me so off guard that I just needed to buy some time.

I will not be able to go and teach the class.  As much as I would like to do it, the logistics are simply too difficult.  I don't have the energy to do it on my own.  It's one of those answers that I don't like, but it's the answer that is necessary if I am to be of any help at all to others.  I have to recognize my limitations.  I can make a difference in the lives of others, but I can't do it universally.  I have to pick and choose my opportunities.

I will be heading for Nairobi in the morning.  I'[m meeting up with a former volunteer from Canada who is working with a small organizations on the outskirts of Nairobi.  I can help her in the short term.  I'll also do a follow up meeting with two or three of the groups I've worked with in the past.  These are the things that I have the ability to do now.

So, what is my true message in all of this.  I wholeheartedly feel that my actions make the world a better place.  I know that if each individual would "pay it forward" in the way they can, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then the world is a better place.  But, I also know that I can't solve the world's problems on my own and have to know when to say "no."  It's not the way I would like it to be but I'm only human.

Pamoja Tunaweza -- Together We Can

I thought I would take the time to feature an organization that I have trained and worked with in the past.  The group is in it's second reincarnation, but many of the group members are still active.  I say second reincarnation, because they were forced to make some difficult decisions when some of the organizing members acted in a manner that raised some concerns among the primary fundraisers in Canada.  But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

On my first trip to Kenya, I met a couple from Canada named Phil and Maggie.  They are/were a wonderful couple committed to the betterment of the world at large.  After they left Bungoma, they attended a large conference in Nairobi where they met a group of former workers from the Ruaraka EPZ.  This group was made up primarily of former textile workers who had tried to bring a union to the workplace.  Their efforts were broken up and they were blacklisted from working in the EPZ.

The EPZ is an export processing zone in which manufacturers receive tax breaks and other incentives.  The work tends to be long hours and difficult work conditions.  The companies have provided clothing to well known American companies such as Walmart, Target, Levi's, etc.  Many would consider the conditions to be that of a sweatshop.

A year ago, I did an HIV Train-the-Trainer class for them.  They wanted to be able to provide support and information to their fellow workers and neighbors.  The training went well and they have continued to put it to use.  Unfortunately, as I said earlier, their were some concerns about the actions of some of the organizing members.  To the credit of Maggie, Phil and their Canadian friends, they remained loyal to the members that remained and were committed.  They reformed officially as Pamoja Tunaweza which means Together We Can.

The main reason for this entry is to bring attention to the working and living conditions within the EPZ.  Here is a link to a slide show that was put together as part of a labor rights workshop.  Many of the people in the photos are individuals that came to the training.  When you go to the webpage you will see the picture to start the slide show.  Below the picture, on the right, you'll see a tiny movie screen and the word "full."  Click on that and you'll be able to view it in the full screen format.  http://www.slideshare.net/davelettinga/the-lives-of-ruaraka-workers

Bits and Pieces

I thought I would do a post of some of the miscellaneous things that I come across in my daily life.  These are things that don't seem to fit anywhere else or aren't big enough to deserve an entry of their very own.

Miriam
What can I say about Miriam other than she is one of the most adorable children you can find.  She's about 2 1/2 now and really coming into her own as a mtoto (child).  When I first met her she was so reluctant to even come near me.  However, that's all changed.  In fact, when I was coming up to the building on the boda-boda after being away for a week, Miriam saw me and started yelling out.  There were some other kids with her so they all started chanted.  The people walking in the street weren't sure what was going on.


Miriam is sitting on the only tricycle I've ever seen in my time here in Kenya.  If you look closely you may notice that it is homemade.  The dolly she has came from my grand niece Lexi.  She's an African American baby doll, but is so light skinned that Miriam thinks she's an mzungu baby.  Like all children, she love me to play airplane with her by lifting her up and swinging her around.  It's pitiful but I certainly can't do it like I used to be able to.

Noontime  Down the Street

I love walking to the store around 12:30 in the afternoon.  Just down the way are the Jamii (Neighborhood) Mosque and the Moi Primary School.  The road becomes such a beehive of activity.  It's a sea of white, gray and red as students and worshipers make their way.

The school uniforms are a fine dark gray plaid with a little bit of red running through it.  The students wear sweaters of a rich red.  They come flowing out of the school yard and into the alley to head home for lunch.  It seems to be an unending flow of children.

The street is also full of Muslims heading to the midday prayer.  Because of Ramadan, attendance seems to be a little higher and the dress a little more traditional.  Men in white flowing gowns (kanzu) with their embroidered hats (kofia).  It's enjoyable to watch the young men walking together, joking, and laughing.  Older men seem to be engrossed in conversations as well.

This amalgamation of people just seems to be soothing to me.  It's simply a wonderful visual to watch.

All Roads Are Not Created Equal

I've already written about the trip I took to visit the paternal grandmother of President Obama.  It was such a great trip in terms of showing that patronage is alive and well in Kenya.  That's not to say it doesn't happen in the US.  After all, what would any appropriations bill be without a little 'pork' thrown in.  But, back to the point at hand.

There is a section of road between Bungoma and Mumias that practically defies a good explanation.  You see, Mumias is home to a very large sugar cane processing plant.  As such, overload trailers of sugar cane ply the road on a regular basis.  Overloaded trailers and poor quality asphalt do not make a good mix.  The road has never been worked on in the three years that I've been coming to Kenya.  Several miles have been reduced to the reddish dirt that is common in these parts.  In fact the matatus spend as much time driving on the side of the road as they do on the actual 'road.'  It's truly unbelievable.

The stretch of road between Kisumu and Bondo, on the other hand, is the polar opposite.  You see, Bondo is the home of Raila Odinga, the current Prime Minister of Kenya.  My guess is he never travels the road between Nairobi and Kisumu.  I'm quite sure that he prefers to fly into Kisumu Airport.  From there, he travels the next 35 miles by road.  That stretch of road is the nicest that I have ever seen.  I don't believe there was a single pothole anywhere.  It was so beautiful.

Stoney Tangawizi

Stoney Tangawizi has got to be one of the best drinks ever invented.  It's a ginger beer that is a product of Coca Cola.  It's not a beer in the sense of being alcoholic since it isn't.  But, it's not light like ginger ale is.  It has such a strong and tangy ginger taste to it and packs a punch.  It is such a great thirst quencher and I wish they had it in the United States.

Are you lying or is it just not quite the truth?

This is something that I could write a book on but will keep it short.  This, obviously is a bit of a generalization, but it happens often enough to make me write about it.  It is difficult to sometimes get an honest answer out of people.  It's not that a person is intentionally lying to you, it's just that they aren't quite telling you the truth.

Say I'm waiting on someone.  I can call them on the phone and they will tell me they are 10 minutes away.  An hour (or two) later they may arrive.  They may say they are in Bungoma but they are really in Kimilili which is about 30 miles away.

More on the Masai Mara

I’m back in Nairobi after three nights in the Masai Mara National Reserve. The trip was absolutely fantastic with lots of wildlife to be seen. I think already wrote an entry from the first couple days, so I’ll just tell you about the last day. We got up early so that we could do the drive to the Mara River where the wildebeest and zebra do the crossing. There was a couple from England that were catching a flight so we needed to make sure we could get them to the air strip for their flight. Anyway, the crossing is probably a good 12-15 miles from our camp and it’s not like you can go 30 miles an hour. Plus, you never know what wildlife you might see on the way. We had both a bush breakfast and lunch packed for us.

The mornings really are beautiful. It can be a bit chilly so layering is a necessity. We watched the sun break over the horizon and slowly make its way up into the sky. The Maasai boys and young men were bringing their cattle back to the homesteads after a night of grazing. Mornings can be quite chilly so you have to dress in layers. We watched 5 hot air balloons drifting over the Mara.

I should back track a bit and explain the difference between Masai and Maasai. The Masai Mara Game Reserve is often called simply "The Mara" which is the Maa word meaning "Mottled" - a reference to the patchy landscape. Both spellings "Masai" and "Maasai" are acceptable although the latter is more usual when referring to the people. The Maasai people are only 2% of the population but are widely recognized because of their proximity to the Mara and promotion within the tourism industry of Kenya.

As we slowly made our way to the river, we saw an abundance of warthogs, zebras, wildebeest, Thomson gazelles, topis (larger gazelle family) and more. We came across a lion and lioness. Because they were not with the pride, we knew that they were mating. In the distance we saw a large gathering of vehicles (8 or so) and knew that there must be something interesting there. It was in a large and very rock savanna area with lots of wildebeest. By lots, I mean thousands scattered across the horizon. These wildebeest had already made the crossing of the Mara River.

We were at the bottom of a large hill and could see the heads of three cheetahs using our binoculars. The cheetahs were at the crest of the hill. The vehicles were at a pretty far distance because the hill was really rocky making it difficult to drive up even with 4 wheel drives. Our driver, Jonathan, slowly found a path up the hill. There were only 2 other vehicles that were able to do the same thing. The reward was spectacular. We were able to get within about 15 yards of the cheetahs. Jonathan knew the trio as three brothers. They were just laying on a little mound and sunning themselves. They’re absolutely beautiful animals and so regal looking. The younger males will generally group themselves into about three or four. This was an exceptional grouping as they were brothers to begin with and had survived childhood. We watched for a good 15 minutes before deciding that we needed to pull ourselves away and continue on.

We drove down the backside of the hill and found a good tree to have our breakfast under. It’s strange to pitch a picnic blanket amidst a bunch of wildebeest and zebra. They weren’t extremely close, but still, pretty amazing. After a great breakfast we continued toward the river.

Next, we saw a lioness who appeared to be going off for a hunt. And, within 30 seconds, we saw that she left behind another lioness who was watching four cubs. They already had a fresh kill of a wildebeest. Only one cub was eating the wildebeest. I think the other cubs and lioness were already full. The youngster that was eating was so full. His tummy looked almost bloated it kept on pulling away at the meat of the hind quarter.

We only had about an hour before having to turn back towards the airstrip so we made our way over to the river which was only a few hundred yards away. There was an area on a small cliff where we were able to get out of the car again. (I guess I should mention that generally you can never get out of a vehicle. That being said, there are a few exceptions to the rule but the driver/guide will still maintain a good lookout) We could look down into the river where there were probably about 30 hippos and some crocodiles. The hippos are funny as they take turns raising their snouts out of the water and take deep breaths before sinking back down in.

We could see wildebeest and zebra gathering on the opposite side of the river but it didn’t appear that they were going to make a crossing. Reluctantly, we decided that we needed to leave to head back. No sooner had we pulled away from the bank than we saw wildebeest starting across the bank at a location about 200 yards from us. We quickly drove over and were able to watch a medium size herd starting across. It was a mixture of zebra and wildebeest. I have to say that it is a pretty aggressive movement. The animals plunge into the river and start swimming across. All of the sudden you could see one of the wildebeest struggle to swim. It’s head would suddenly drop under the water for a few seconds and then come back up. It was apparent that a crocodile had gotten it from underneath. The animal was putting up a good fight. As the herd on the other side saw this, they began to slow their entry into the water. Those already in, just seemed to swim faster. Pretty soon you could see another crocodile swimming towards the struggling wildebeest. That was the final straw. Once the crocodile reached the wildebeest, it opened its jaws and took in the whole head. The crossing had stopped for a while and we had to continue on.

After dropping of John and Wendy at the airport, we had our lunch and then slowly drove back to the camp. It was about 2:30 and most of the animals are in the trees hiding from the full force of the sun. We were back at the camp by 4PM. It was a really long day but was not over yet. The other couple was hoping to get some Maasai bracelets and Jonathan had agreed to find them outside of the curio shops. I asked if I could ride along with him and he agreed.

We went to the village where his future bride lives. She is in school and so I didn’t get to meet her. Jonathan confided that he wasn’t sure if he wanted her but she was chosen for him by his father. There were about 15 small children and I was the novelty. We were invited into a small boma. They are different from those in Western Province. They are still made of the same mud material but are much smaller (headroom) and smokier. I had to stoop to get in the door. We sat in a tiny vestibule that had a door into the main room and then a door into the corral where I could see some baby sheep.


From there we drove to Jonathan’s homestead. It’s always hard to keep track of relatives as the extended family is treated differently from the way we handle them. For instance, we met an uncle on the road who referred to Jonathan as his son. That’s the way it’s done since the extended family unit is so strong. As best as I can figure it, Jonathon’s father has 3 wives as does his grandfather. Jonathan is one of 10 children but I’m not sure if that is the total among the 3 wives or not. The family compound is a group of homes arranged in a circle. Around the perimeter is a circle of shrub limbs than from a protective barrier. Within the outer circle is another circle of shrubs. These “fences” are there to keep out the lions, hyenas, and other predators. It is dangerous to live in this area. At 20, Jonathan was attacked by a lion while out herding the cattle one night.