Masai Boy!

Mommy finally caught on about how much I love the Masai.  They are a pastoral tribe....one of the last remaining of their kind, and they are fighting very hard to maintain their traditional lifestyle in this globalized capitalist world of ours.  And, they are my people.  Mommy has had a close connection with the Masai people for many years, having many as friends here in Tanzania over the years that she has lived here and even going to stay with them in the bomas (their villages) and really spending time understanding and knowing the culture.  She has a lot of photos up in the house depicting the masai of Tanzania and Kenya and I LOVE to look at those photos. 

"Mama, sai people, sai people....do you see those sai people".  I say it over and over again pointing to the photos on the wall.  And, then when we step outside our compound into the bustling, crazy, chaotic town that we live in....there are soooo many masai people walking along the sides of the roads as we drive, or sitting at the doctors office next to us or any of the things that we might be doing around town.  I can't help but be excited when I see them....they are my own people!  "sai people Mommy, sai people" I point and cry out in my loud excited voice.  Mommy is always trying to quiet me a little and tell me not to point at people...but I'm not trying to be rude or pointing at them because they are funny.....I LOVE them.  I am one of them and I am PROUD of that. 

Finally, Mommy took the hint.  Last weekend at the Tengeru Market, Mommy stopped in to buy some kangas and kitangas (beautiful pieces of fabric that can be made into clothes or linens or lots of things) and she bought me my very own masai blanket.  It's what most of the masai people wear.  And, now I can proudly show my heritage.  I LOVE my masai blanket.  It is about 300 degrees outside right now, but I insist to be tucked in with it at night, and in the morning Mommy finds me curled up and hugging my blanket tightly!  And....during the day I wear my blanket all over the house, proclaiming proudly...."masai blanket man, masai blanket man!"

Don't I look just like one of these big masai warriors now????