"Children, kitchen, church" — destiny of inhabitants of the African savanna. But sometime and there everything will change. whether
you Love milk as love it women of a tribe masai? I — precisely am not present! But I like bright clothes which they put on even in church. And still I did not assume that masai — beginning businessmen.
to Learn it and many other things I could, having gone to Masai-Mar — home ancient tribes masai, living in Tanzania and Kenya. They still keep there the way and exist very much separately. I was lucky, I got into inaccessible places of the African savanna — hard and risky business which worked well thanks to assistance of representatives of the Red Cross.
Department of Masaya — nomads, in the center of their life — cattle. Thus they are vegetarians, and only in a number of rituals use blood of cows. Throughout the millennia they managed to live in one territory and in full harmony with wild predators, side by side with lions and hyenas.
the Cow at Masayev (as well as at Hindus) — a sacred animal whom in a family the woman watches. During stay on a visit the tribe at me had an impression that the woman in general watches everything — from house construction from cow "flat cakes" to a wipe of snivels at numerous posterity. Department of Masaya poligamny also raise children everything together, and the territory of the dwelling fence from branches around in which center lodges for each of wives are under construction. Turn out peculiar the farm where the cattle is exhausted in the evening. Such settlement belongs to one of men, and all women in it — his wives. Men are occupied with affairs political: defend the situation in the savanna in rivalry with other tribes, and also are engaged in trade. Girls have one way — a household, children, cattle. Men, however, as a whole too have some options: to grow, pass a ceremony of majority and further to win the place in a tribe.
Earlier boys-masai on reaching 16 years had to leave a tribe and some years live in the savanna to gain all skills of a survival — a peculiar ceremony of a growing. I look at these thin young men with inquisitive glances and I rejoice that they do not need to leave more native the farm, and it, probably, will keep them life. Before at all was considered that the young man has to kill a lion to become the real man. Now such murders are forbidden and are allowed only in case animals attack villages.
In the last decades the situation in Masai-Mar changes. First, there were schools — the president Mvai Kibaki was the initiator of their opening. It was hated by the most part masai. Men are generally dissatisfied. And women silently, but persistently bring together children in school. The matter is that earlier masai were completely independent (they and had no passports). Now there is a resolution according to which each child has to receive basic school education. It means, first, that instead of work on economy children spend time for study. Secondly, nomads had to replace a way of life with more settled. At many schools there are hostels where children remain Monday through Friday as cases of attack of wild animals on children became frequent during their way from the house to school or on the contrary.
Ya communicated to the young teacher of one of local schools by the name of Dzhozev. "How you became a teacher? " — I asked. "I from this village, graduated from school and decided to remain here. I can work and be close to the house" — he seriously answered, waving away from importunate flies. And on my question: "What subjects you conduct? " it is proud reacted: "All! At us is them not and much (it started bending fingers, wrinkling a forehead and bulging a lower lip as though considered all flies whom managed to catch in a day): the letter, reading, arithmetics, geography, world around …"
Upon termination of five classes children pass examinations, and for them it is the ticket in bright future in the form of opportunity to continue training at regional school. Unfortunately, such chance drops out the little. I took an interest at Dzhozev as there is a life at such lucky, and whether he knows someone from them. Eyes of the teacher were lit, on a face there was a dazzling smile, he finally distracted from flies and is proud declared: "Certainly I know! Same I! "
of Children which pass selection and leave, while only about 1%. However now, thanks to emergence of the program of obligatory school educations, children learn about existence of other world out of a tribe, at them appears though any chance of other life. Besides educational services, the school — is a civilization island. There is an electricity, water and the minimum medical services. In the savanna all these benefits are absent. Alas, situation deplorable. We were in those regions in the middle of April — it is the end of a season of a drought. On road (if it is possible to call it road) to us people who looked for pools met and children gathered from them water …
", the kitchen, church" in interpretation masai
At Germans is a set expression: "children, kitchen, church", describing the main ideas of a social role of the woman in the German conservative system of values. Amazingly, but Germans not too far left from masai. I tried to communicate with local women, but it appeared it is almost impossible — their husbands got up between us, unostentatiously letting know that it it is not necessary to do. But now women masai had two possibilities of communication with the world. First, it allowed to trade in self-made jewelry before entrances to national parks. Paradox, but even in those severe conditions in which live masai, women remain women! They adore bright clothes, and the most part of free time devote to needlework of jewelry. All is used: cockleshells, stones and the main thing — it is more than flowers!
Secondly, on Sundays they put on in the brightest clothes and go to church. Churches represent sheds in the middle of the savanna. Inside generally women with children and surely the missionary in a black suit — exactly as in the musical "Book of the Mormon".
byA few years ago the program of support of tribes here started being realized. Except opening of schools, local authorities started involving masai in business, generally rent, having equated lands on which they live, to reservations. For example, tourists can rent a place under a camping during visit of national parks. Idea, maybe, and good, but a problem that masai are not accustomed to such activity. As a result the part of enterprising leaders took the tourist industry in hand.
One more problem that together with a civilization alcohol and smoking soft drugs got to tribes. In my camping in the evenings men masai gathered at a fire to smoke and drink. Once, having heard lively conversations from tent, I decided to join to companies. And right there the silence set in. Several times me asked as passed day and whether I want to go already to have a rest. I waved away, and in about 15 minutes suddenly found out that I sit aside from all — men imperceptibly slowly changed, hammered a tube with a novel potion and again formed the circle where the lively conversation began to flow again. So repeated several times while to me did not bother to run for masai. Having had a look a little at incredibly bright star sky in which it is impossible to distinguish constellations, I went to sleep in the hut.
Hospitable Africa not for all
Entrances to Masai-Mar's national parks are protected by
on white people. Something from the category: "I on a handheld transceiver was told where there is a leopard, but I there will bring you for 50 dollars". Alas, the white person in Africa — first of all a source of money. It is interesting as rangers the earned money transfers to the families to the cities: the matter is that they work with watches and for months live in the savanna. Service on keshbeku — Mepesa enjoys wide popularity. Advertizing signs of this of companies can be met continually in the cities and villages.
we arrived To park in April, during marriage games of lions: us they were not confused, even at all did not pay attention. Men masai obviously many at them learned — for example, to that women have to get livelihood and bring up children. It appears, kings of beasts live about 10 years and generally die not of an old age, and for hunger. Elephants, on the contrary, live rather long — about 60 years — and die of that they erase teeth, and they cannot support themselves. As explained my conductors, in the nature everything is thought over …
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Recently in Masai-Mar nature protection laws, and poachers to Kenya order elephant tusks and skins of lions. By the way, Chinese pave today ways to Kenya and build for itself the whole hotel cities.
By the way in the XIX century for construction of iron roads British delivered to Kenya Indians — Sikhs. To them, unlike masai, was difficult to adjust the world with local fauna. Sometimes because of continuous attacks of lions it was necessary to stop all works for some months. I will not be surprised if it masai instigated lions to show, who in the savanna the main … In general, Africa played a considerable role lives modern India. In South Africa Mahatma Gandhi gained popularity, here he based the commune which built on the basis of the doctrine Tolstoy Leo. Mahatma Gandhi's name is born by the largest university of the world in Nairobi where more than hundred thousand students are trained.
throughout many centuries, and especially the last, mother Africa attracts people from all continents: it gives someone work and the new house, and to someone — lets know that orders on the black continent the severe.
Africa quite often accords to strangers rigid welcome. I esteemed about destinies of Europeans who moved to this country. Surprisingly, but many stories concerned women. The example Adamson Joy, defenders of wildlife who was engaged in adaptation of lions to Kenya is indicative. At the end of life it had a conflict to the Kenyan employee, wishing to revenge for the dismissal and the machete which have struck to it some blows. Or, for example, the destiny (based on its autobiographical book "From Africa" the movie of the same name is shot) — it lost Bliksen Karen to which it gave all life.
it is interesting tothat, despite independence, at Kenya close connections with United Kingdom remained. For example, Elizabeth II learned about death of the father and about declaration of as the queen, being to Kenya. Since then Kenyan news are shined to England especially widely. Kenyans laugh, speaking, what not against such attention, but, nevertheless, they are independent from United Kingdom!
Life and climate in Africa are severe and difficult — wild animals, "white people" and a drought do not promote development. And to women gets doubly! On their shoulders the house, a life, children, trade - and in addition some husbands lies. Having lived only some days near them, I very much want that once the tired girl from a tribe after day of work received a glass so valuable warm milks from hands of her noble and severe men.
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