The Maasai are semi-nomadic pastoralists who live across northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. With their red cloth, beadwork and tall stature, they are among the most recognisable peoples in Africa. Many still live by raising cattle, goats and sheep, alongside the wildlife of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Cattle at the centre of life
Cattle are a measure of wealth and status, and a source of milk, meat and sometimes blood. Traditional belief holds that Enkai, the Maasai god, gave all cattle to the Maasai. Families move with the seasons in search of grazing and water.
The boma
A Maasai homestead, or enkang, often called a boma, is a circle of low houses made by women from wood, grass, mud and cow dung, inside a thorn fence. Livestock are kept in the centre at night to protect them from lions and hyenas.
Age sets
Maasai society is organised by age. Boys become junior warriors, moran, after initiation and spend years protecting the community before becoming elders. Elders make decisions and settle disputes.
Dress and beadwork
The red shuka is the best-known garment, though blue and checked cloths are common too. Women make detailed beadwork, where colours carry meaning: red for bravery, blue for the sky and water, white for purity and milk.
The jumping dance
In the adumu, young men take turns to jump high from a standing position while others sing. It is part of ceremonies and celebrations.
Visiting a boma
- Visit through your guide or a community-run cultural boma, where the fee goes to the village.
- Ask before taking photos.
- Expect to be offered beadwork for sale. There is no obligation to buy.
- A visit takes an hour or two and fits easily into a day near Ngorongoro or Tarangire.
Read tribes of Tanzania and Tanzanian culture and etiquette.
Frequently asked questions
In northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, including around the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
Red is a traditional colour associated with strength and bravery, and it stands out against the landscape.
Yes. Community-run cultural bomas welcome visitors for a fee that supports the village.
