Keeper of the Maasai Legacy

My name is Joseph Shuaka Mollel. I'm from the little village known as Losimingori in Arusha, Tanzania. I am 20 years old and belong to a polygamous family. My father has four wives, my mother being his first wife. I am the last born to my mother.

I am actually a Maasai boy who has gotten the golden chance to go to school and fortunately performed well ( from my family).

My family’s roots are in Kenya. They moved from Kenya to the Arusha region of Tanzania, as it was then a Maasai custom to move from one place to another in search of pastures and water for the herd / domestic animals.

When my father was a Moran he, along with his fellow warriors, had gone to raid cattle of the neighbouring community. They invaded the camp but while on their way back home with the cattle, the cattle’s owner, together with his servants, came and shot my father's friend.

My father started crawling on the ground to save himself and hid amidst the tall grasses. Unfortunately, the servants captured him and took him to their master. The master instead of killing him enslaved him. He remained in captivity for four years.

He was able to successfully escape from custody and came back home. He was then married and later chosen as the leader of the Morans, which the Maasai call "Laigwanani".

In 1997 my family moved from Longido, which is where I was born in 2001. I started my education in 2008 when I was enrolled in preschool. I studied up to first grade, in 2010, but was then pulled out of school due to the ignorance of my family towards education.

In 2014, my father gave me an opportunity to rejoin school. He said, “My son, you are brave, intelligent and the most clever person in this family. Now make the decision of whether you want to go to school or not!”

I immediately said yes, and was enrolled again in school. I recently completed Form 6 in Advanced Level and passed with distinction, along with receiving a certificate of appreciation for being the best student and for outstanding academic performance.

I will now go to an advanced level in high school. I wish to achieve a good future but I lack enough funds to pay for school fees. I aspire to reach the people who are oppressed and write a book concerning Maasai cultural values. I will title it "Effective Health For Better Life"

I respect and admire my culture. I appreciate being a Maasai and our traditional knowledge. It has helped me understand life better. For example, the healing knowledge of Maasai, and what medicinal plants are effective. My father has taught me how to read the stars and clouds.

People should believe in themselves. There is nothing which is impossible under the sun. People are born poor, but they are not brought up to be poor. People are constantly comparing their lives to those of others. But we should focus on ourselves, not others. 

People say that time is money. But time doesn’t change life. It only puts an expiry date on opportunities. Creativity helps decide better. It means being responsible because you have to imagine what doesn’t exist for those who haven’t. That’s my advice to people around the world.