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Maurice Jones **__The Maasai__** The Maasai people speak in a foreign language that is called Maa. Maa is the language that they speak it is a piece of the heritage that is spread among their clan. The Maasai people live in the region of East Africa located in southern Kenya and towards northern Tanzania right along the Great Rift Valley which is on a semi-arid as well as arid lands. The language Maa allows the Maasai to talk freely as well as spread their ideas and belief amongst themselves and allows them to keep their beliefs and traditions alive.
 * __Language:__**

The Maasai much like the christian faith are a monotheistic religion they believe in only one god and his name is Enkai or Engai. In the Maasai belief Enkai is the essential provider of their basic needs such as water or even succes in particular endeavors such as battle. With that the Maasai believe that a victory in battle means that Enkai is pleased while a loss in battle means that Enkai is displeased with the Maasai and steps must be taken to right that wrong whatever they may be. Which is why most Maasai have converted to the christian faith for it is very similar if not exactly the same as the Maasai's believe in there god Enkai. The Maasai look at their cattle especially the cow as sacred it is their currency and their livelyhood and with that they belief that it should be honored in certain ceremonies in which the Maasai slice a vein on the cows neck collect some of its milk, then mix the blood with the milk and drink the mixture. The Maasai have a system of order of importance based on age-sets the first is the children which are called "//inkera"// then comes the males coming of age ceremony called "//Alamal Lengipaata"// which is for males turning the age of fourteen in which the "//inkera"// takes on a new name and a non-Maasai will do the circumcision or //emorata,// they are not allowed to show any signs of pain. While the females are initiated immediatley and as soon as possible in to womanhood, their heads are shaved and they begin to dress, act, and live the life of a Maasai women.
 * __Beliefs:__**

The Maasai behavioral patterns are that of a pack mentality which is why within the Maasai there is also sixteen different sections or alliances known to the Maasai as "Iloshon". Each alliances is made up of an assortment of villages known as "//inkangitie"// or singularly //"enkang".// But because of their belief they still remain unified in the way that they will never betray other Massai "Iloshon" because they feel none should be denied water and land, following their traditions the Maasai are semi-nomadic they stay in one place for only so long which in turn shows in their behavior they do not build permanent homes they make sure they are easily disposed of to not hurt wildlife and environment around them. Within the Maasai the behavior goes into their home life the understanding is that while the husband is the man of the family the female is the "man of the house" which changes the amount of respect and kindness shown between the village they work in complete harmony with each other working towards the same goal prosperity and safety for their family.
 * __Behaviors:__**

The Maasai value their livestock as a key part of their survival as well as a show of wealth the more livestock one has means the more wealthy they truly are. The livestock held a value of marking what an individuals social status may be among his villagers. Those who do not have any livestock usually become craftsmen or a trader to make a living for themselves for livestock was also a method of currenc with the Maasai, the Maasai value their neighbors and will make sure that those apart of their village will not do without if possible so the wealth owners known as "//il karsis" would trade livestock to the poor owners know as "il aisinak" in exchange for much need labor.// In Maasai culture the value of a baby is great if a female from a village had a miscarriage or the baby died from her neglegance then women from other villages whom celebrate a fertility festival would go to her and beat her for not allowing the baby to die for it's considered bad luck. While this festival is on they value the sanctity of marriage and if a male breaches it by abusing his wife then the females of the festival then beat him, take his best livestock, and then take away his wife and if there are any children they are left to the male. But the female would usually return but they would then go before a council of elder whom would decide whether the marriage was abusive or could be fixed, if it could not the marriage was then dissolved, but if it could be fixed then they would encourage it to be fixed.
 * __Values:__**

__**Travel:**__ The tourism has brought many changes to the Maasai for example it has shown people a experience of walking in the shoes of another people and has brought people from all across the world to see these nomadic people of Africa. But it has also brought complications to the people of the Maasai when lions kill their cattle it is taken upon the male of that family to hunt down and kill that lion it is a riite of passage a test of that males manhood. So when the lion kills his cattle it's ok but when the male kills the lion he is arrested for killing one of the main tourist attractions.
 * __How has cultural change impacted the Maasai?__**

The Maasai are beginning to accept the technological innovations happening world wide, they usage of cell phones is even spreading to the villages and our falling into the entrepreneurial spirit and our selling goods and not just livestock but cell phones and necklaces to tourist and indigenous people of Kenya on the streets.
 * __Technology:__**

The economy for the Maasai has changed in the way that cattle has become the most valuable currency in their culture. It's becoming so needed that when it used to be given as a gift to females on their wedding day, less and less males are doing that because the cattle is so valuable to the survival of each family.Also the females have become more independent than they ever have been before they now occupy many different proffesions that in traditional culture would be a complete culture shock. But even worse the foundation of their society that the female is the owner of the house is changing because houses our now longer built through group effort but alone and they no longer want mud houses but solid brick houses but don't have the money to afford them. But, the males do and when the male pays for it they look at it as they own the house not the wife, and with that Maasai women are losing one of the foundations of their beliefs, values and traditions of the Maasai culture. __**Works Cited**__ "The Maasai: East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania)." //Africa Travel//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://goafrica.about.com/library/bl.maasai.htm__]>. It helps explain the struggle they are now facing with oncoming advancements and a look into the women impact on tourism. As well as the impact tourism has on their traditions, values and beliefs and how tourism is affecting their customs.
 * __Commercialism:__**

"Maasai People." //The University of Iowa//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/people/Maasai.html__]>. It gives a look into the Maasai's religion economy history and Politcal system and the role it plays.

"Maasai People, Kenya." //Maasai Association | Kenya//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://www.maasai-association.org/maasai.html__]>. It explain what affect technological advancements have on the Maasai and their culture. As well as how the economy has been altered by the integration of commercialism within the Maasai culture.

Zeleza, Tiyambe. //Maasai//. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 1994. Print. It's a primary source it gives in depth look into the Maasai culture it explains their beliefs, values, traditions, and behaviors. It shows the alterations to the culture from all aspects of innovation which are commercialism, travel and technology.