A Maasai Folktale of Why Hippos Live in Water
One of the famous stories from the Maasai community in Arusha, Tanzania.
Hippo and the God, Maasai folktale (2020) by Advithi EmmiProject FUEL
In the beginning, the hippo did not stay in the water. It stayed in the highlands and dry areas. Because of his build, he would get tired of climbing the mountains and walking. One day he asked his God, “Oh my creator, can you put me in a safe place? Please because I become tired every day of climbing the trees, the forest and the rock areas”.
The God told the Hippo, “Hippo, if I put you in the old forest, would that help you?” “No, I will still be tired because of the old forest, they have branches, deadwoods and logs, so I will not be able to walk on it.”
The God then asked Hippo, “Where do you want me to put you? If I put you inside the water, you will eat all the animals in the water.”
The Hippo answered, “I promise I don’t eat meat. I will always show you my mouth”. That’s why every time the Hippo sits inside the water, after five to ten minutes, he will open his mouth to show God that it’s white and he hasn’t eaten any animals.
Project FUEL would like to thank the Maasai community in the Losimingori village of Arusha, Tanzania for opening their hearts and home to this research.
This exhibit is part of the Wise Wall Project, an initiative of Project FUEL, to document, design, and strengthen the wisdom of rural communities and marginalized villages using art and community outreach programs. In the third edition of this project, we collaborated with the Maasai, in Arusha, Tanzania, to build an on-ground community centre for the people and bring an exclusive insight into the life, lifestyle, and learnings of this inspiring community.
Illustration: Advithi Emmi
Research, Interviews and Curation: Project FUEL
Project Partners: Vijana Inspiring Foundation, Vikram Solar Ltd., Lions Club of Dar es Salaam and Arusha, Google Arts & Culture
