Playing with the Maasai Children

The Maasai are one of the culturally richest communities in the world. They were previously a nomadic society but later settled as pastoralists in parts of Kenya and Tanzania.

The people are proud of their rich heritage and culture, and still follow many of the traditions passed down from generation to generation. Interaction with other community members however has brought in their own set of customs and practices.

The same can be seen in the games that the Maasai children play. 

Their traditions and belief systems are rooted in the importance of togetherness and family values. The same is reflected in the oral tradition of the community, like songs or folk stories.

In December 2021, during extensive on-ground research with the community residing in the Losimingori village of Arusha, Tanzania, the children, with shy laughter and playful eyes, showed us some games that they love to play.

This game can be played with more than 4-5 players. All the players sit in a circle, and one player is tagged as the leader. The leader moves around the circle formed by other players. The objective of the leader is to drop a stick or stone behind any one of the players sitting.

The leader then quickly completes a full round of the circle and returns to where they dropped the stick. If the leader is able to complete the circle, without the player noticing the stick behind them, the leader gets to take the place of the player.

If the player notices the stick, they are to run behind the leader to catch them. If they are able to catch them, the leader continues the game, till they are able to tag someone else.

Another game is a modified version of Mamba, a popular game in some African countries. This game can be played with 4 and more players. A person is tagged, and the rest of the players form a linear line.   

The objective of the tagged player is to tap the last player in the line. The fun element of this game is that the other players hop and jump around to stop the tagged player from reaching the last player.

 If the tagged player is successful in their objective, they stand in front of the line, and the last player becomes the tagged player.

The joy that can be seen in the Maasai elders is equally evident in the spirited childhood of the Maasai children. Running around, playing and having fun.