Understanding Gender Roles in the Maasai Community

Women, on the other hand, take care of the house, raising children and fulfilling other household duties such as fetching water and firewood, milking the cows, cooking for the family and constructing the house.

For hundreds of years, these roles were practiced conventionally, but over time they are slowly evolving with the advent of modernization.

#1. Children

The Maasai children love to play; boys construct miniature kraals using twigs or stones. There is no particular social obligation boys have as children. However, at an early age young boys may herd calves and lambs closer to home.

At the age of 3-4 the boys are encouraged to associate themselves with the men. The boys start carrying sticks with them that symbolizes his future as a herder. This is further joined by a spear indicating the aspiration to become a warrior.

The birth of a girl in a Maasai family, like that of a boy, is normally greeted with a lot of ululation from the village women. At an early age the girls help with the wellbeing of younger siblings and keep the mother company doing household chores. Traditionally, the girls played with dolls made out of mud or jack made from stones or berries.

The community passionately focuses on shaping and nurturing the personality of a child. Both boys and girls are encouraged to behave well in front of the elders.

Young Maasai girls, conventionally, assisted their mothers with household-based chores, as well as herd and care for livestock. Today many of them are attending schools and getting trained in diverse vocational skills. Some of their domestic responsibilities include but are not limited to sweeping, cooking, fetching water and firewood, washing clothes, milking, cleaning gourds, beading, constructing houses, and caring for younger siblings.

Young women, like boys, used to go through a similar circumcision ceremony (now banned) in order to be considered an adult. Since 1998, the government of Tanzania prohibits the practice of Female Genital Mutilation under its Sexual Offences Special Provision Act 1998.

#3. Adulthood

The Maasai warriors bear the reputation of being fearless and fearful of nothing other than God. As warriors, Maasai men are tasked with more business like accumulating livestock through raiding, purchase, travelling, defending the community from attacks, learning the art of governing, and helping with herding. Warriors are subdivided into junior and senior warriors and together form one generation and age sets.

The Morans share a strong comradeship with each other. Warriors bring adventure, romance and excitement to the community. They dance and sing songs to celebrate the cattle raids or brave men in general. A sense of protection is associated with Maasai warriors.

#4. Marriage

Marriage is one aspect of life that affects male and female relationships. For the wedding the bride is shaved, and anointed with the lamb fat. The bride and groom both are blessed and washed with milk and green grass is tied onto their shoes and clothes. Members of her new family give her presents of livestock, the wealth she receives depends on how large her family is. When she is satisfied, she enters her new house.

Except in unusual circumstances, there are no divorces in the Maasai community. The Maasai always try to use the council of elders to discuss and resolve any conflict between husband and wife.

For a Maasai man there is no restriction on how many wives he can marry. When a Maasai gets married his first wife will build her house on the left side of the main gate to his kraal and the second wife will probably build it on the right side creating the two equal pillars. The first wife retains seniority in the kraal affair but she can’t command the husband’s affection.

The ‘Enkirolet’ (the favourite wife) and ‘Endingi’ (the least favourite) can be any one of them depending on how they relate to the husband. Jealousy among the Maasai women does not exist, but the man needs to ensure that the women’s fundamental needs are taken care of. The wife may go back to her parent’s house if her needs are not fulfilled. With changing times, many Maasai men practice a monogamous marriage.

#5. Elders

Age garners a lot of respect in the Maasai culture. Olng’esherr is the ceremony that marks the end of moranism and the beginning of eldership. These elders, act as guardians of age-old cultural practices and mediators.

From the wisdom of an elder, knowledge comes in diverse forms. From the cycle of life to when the rain will fall, to safeguarding of the lineage, transfer of powers from one age set to the next. The transmission of indigenous knowledge, such as those in relation to livestock rearing, conflict management, legends, traditions, and life skills, are also some of the core values embedded in the power of a village elder.