Meet the Morans: Traditional Maasai Warriors

The Morans are the warriors set in Maasai society. They are regarded as the guardians of the tribe and their assets, protecting them from wild animals and ensuring that the traditional customs and norms are upheld.

The primary responsibility of Morans is to protect their society and cattle against intruders and wild animals. They also take care of the cattle by taking them out for grazing.

The life of men in Maasai society is well organized through the stages of the life cycle; determined by age and initiated through the ceremonies. ‘Emorata’ is the circumcision ceremony that initiates men into warriorhood. 

Once the boys are between the ages of twelve and fifteen they are chosen to take the rite of passage to become a warrior. The youth engage themselves in hunting to prove that they are strong, dependable, and confident in protecting the Maasai land. 

They are also sent out to take care of calves and lambs to learn skills like control while herding the cattle in the right direction, sensing the needs of animals, and building their stamina and strength by walking long distances, all of which is a required skill set as a Moran.

Kakachi Ole Chakai, a Maasai elder, shared with us how boys are trained before circumcision. “I train my boys through exercises to make them ready for the ceremony. They are trained in activities like catching an untied cow in a fenced boma, lifting a cow by its horns and going very long distances, approximately 40-50 km, to drop off a cattle and bring another one back. This shows a sign of maturity.”

The circumcision ceremony takes place every 7 years. The ceremony is performed without anaesthetic by the village elders. The boy is expected to bear the pain as a sign to check his bravery. If the boy flinches, his face is painted black to show his weakness.

Kakachi shared that he couldn’t move for two weeks after circumcision. 

After the ceremony, the boys wear black clothes for six months. Kakachi said, “During this time, other members of society can punish you anytime or insult you.” 

The Morans are fearless and reputed to be fearful of nothing. One of the virtues of the Morans is that they feel strong comradeship toward each other.

The Morans also enjoy a lot of freedom. They can leave their homes for 3 to 4 days at a time, and stay in the forest with their peers. They dance and sing songs to celebrate the cattle raids or brave men in general. 

They also participate in Adamu, or the warrior dance, which  involves throat singing and a lot of jumping. Once a Moran becomes an elder, they are not allowed to sing.

Lemali Ndoika, a 21-year-old Moran shares with us some of the things that the warriors are not allowed to do. For example: They are not allowed to eat alone. They cannot eat meat that their mothers have seen and they cannot be friends with boys who have not been circumcised.

Maasai warriors can never stand in attention because as soldiers they must be in movement or inaction. 

The Morans are expected to be disciplined. Langema, a Maasai elder, shared with us, “As warriors, you learn about discipline. You have the responsibility to protect the entire community. Sometimes this responsibility can feel heavy, especially when protecting the cattle from lions during rains. That is the toughest part. You have to kill the lions with spears. You approach them without knowing how fast they will react.”

With the changing times and the challenges brought in by climate change, many young men of the tribe are choosing not to get initiated as Morans. Their priority is to become economically independent and provide for their families.

They are focusing their energies towards education. For them, education is an important tool that will help them sustain their families economically.