The Masai and Samburu Rites of Passage and How The National Government Can Play a Role in Preserving The Culture of The Two Communities

Traditions practiced by the Indigenous people, like the Samburu and Maasai, can be very questionable to us foreigners. After this week’s readings and videos, I feel that I can relate and understand them more though. What I found most intriguing were the rites of passages between the Samburu and Maasai. Although I cannot emphasize with the men and women of the tribes, I understand their devotion to the community’s traditions and culture. I also want to discuss throughout this essay is national governments involvement in the indigenous culture and community. There are different sides as to whether or not the government should encourage pastoralist to be more sedentary and I hope to come to my own conclusive thoughts by the end of the essay.

The rites of passages for boys and girls of both indigenous tribes that we’ve read about are cruel and harmful, but they also come with a much greater reward. Maasai boys who go through circumcisions are taught that it is the only way to become a man and a full member of the indigenous society. Girls are treated much differently in the Maasai culture. Maasai girls think that they have no choice and no power when it comes to their family and tradition. In the circumcise traditions we can blatantly see the gendered divisions. I understand the traditional sense of circumcision for males and females, but I never knew about female circumcision. In America male circumcision is much more common therefore it makes sense why I understand it more.

The one aspect I do not agree with in the tradition of circumcision is the pain that both boys and girls have to go through. While the actually process is only a couple of minutes, post procedure seems unbearable and disturbing. I don’t think a tradition should be followed if death is possible, but maybe that is what makes it worth it in the indigenous culture. The indigenous communities hold a lot of spiritual beliefs and follow what we might believe are myths, but does that make it wrong? One big sense I developed this week is how black and white our cultures can be. When one individual does not follow the same path as their community then they are outcast and that seems to be true in the indigenous culture and American culture.

Girls who decide against their family and societal traditions are treated unfairly, but boys are treated somewhat differently. Boys who are educated, for example, or gone at school during the rites of passages still have the option to become a man and be accepted in their community. These initiations come with many privileges as well such as marriage. Another gendered difference is the processes for illiterate women. Illiterate women must go through a complete circumcision while educated men can wait. I also noticed the portrayed female stereotype in the indigenous society. Women are seen as sexual objects that must be contained and treated. Circumcision is supposed to heal girls to become mature, clean, and acceptable for marriage. This procedure, for women, is supposed to maintain their sexual appetites and unwanted pregnancies, but why not for the men? Some women would rather go to extremes like unsafe abortions than tell their family and be treated like outcast.

In many of the traditional initiations, animals are involved. I have a soft spot for animals and so I understand government influences but it is difficult to ignore the indigenous culture and practices. I think a sedentary lifestyle is much more preferred in our American culture, but we don’t always think about how it will effect their lifestyle and social lives in the indigenous culture.

By killing lions, for example, it expresses a boys transition to manhood, but also decides his role in the community. If a boy is unable to kill, hunt, or drink the blood of an animal they are basically worthless to the society. If government were to restrict their practices and traditions they could destroy the indigenous social life. I do not think the government should be able to control a community’s traditions or religious beliefs, but simply advocate. I don’t think we should mandate an entire culture because it does not comply with the majority.

Pastoralists of Africa rely heavily on their agriculture for mobility, trades, and mass productivity of their herds as well. Livestock is the main cause for poverty in Africa. For a while, pastoralists were unable to out insurance, but now there is a way for both pastoralist and financial institutions to. The solution can only be passed and initiated through the government though. It should be the government’s duty to provide communal grazing land and water resources. These should be rights to the indigenous people and engrained in the law. I think if the government were to provide these resources then the indigenous communities can pursue a nomadic daily life.

As much as I think the government should not be allowed to dictate traditional and religious practices, I also think it might be necessary for a solution. I respect the indigenous traditions because they rely solely on their community and family to reproduce these traditions with intense emotions. Unfortunately these undeveloped countries also need government assistance to pursue and reciprocate their traditions. I think if the indigenous people had the resources and education they would also comprehend the agriculture dilemmas they face and the positive reinforcements that the government can provide.