At home with the Masai

Tribal living in Tanzania

There were cow parts covered in blood on the sandy, dung-covered ground, exceedingly tall men in what looked like tartan robes, children chasing each other with cow tails and women with piercings even the wildest Westerner could not dream of.  At this point I knew I would love tribal living in Tanzania.

I spent time with the Masai, the only tribe that still live in the traditional way with no running water, electricity and in houses made from mud and cow dung.  I also spent time with the Iraq tribe who make their living from cattle and farming.

I left the town of Arusha in a clapped-out car and drove to the middle of nowhere. However, members of the Masai tribe I would be staying with for the next three days met me and gave me a warm welcome.

The village was set in a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains, and on arrival I was shown to the boma - the circular house constructed from mud, dung and wood, of the first wife of the chief’s oldest son. There were many of these houses in the village, each sectioned off and surrounded with barbed-wire-like plants.

Neoma, the owner of the boma, showed me into my new home. It was pleasantly cool - a relief from the scorching heat outside, and there were makeshift partitions which provided two ‘bedrooms’.  My bed was a shelf with a cowhide as a mattress. It was pitch dark and quite startling until I got used to it. In the centre there were three stone blocks, used for cooking: this was quite a feat, as there were no windows so it got terribly smoky and resulted in my eyes streaming and causing me to cough.

I met the chief, who has 30 wives and over 100 children. His youngest wife is only 16 and he is about 70. He was extremely cheerful and patted me on my head to welcome me into his village. Every time I saw him he seemed to be lazing about in the sun, surrounded by goats.

One night, the women staying around my boma offered to dance with me. So, in the pitch dark, the stunningly beautiful women draped in blue robes and adorned with a menagerie of white beads with jingling silver plates, started to chant in their native Masai language.  After a bit of chanting, which I unsuccessfully tried to mimic, the women and children began to jump up and down and I happily joined in. The Masai are famous for their jumping dance and it really is a spectacle. However, even the Masai are not immune to the powerful clutches of the dollar - when they finished I was asked how much I would give them for the dance.

I witnessed the slaughtering of a cow - the tribe use every part of the animal except the head. They ate everything, sometimes raw, and used the blood for cooking. They even dry out the hide and use these to sleep on. The children ran about with brains, tails and feet of dead cows and goats, which they used as toys and became very protective over them.

To get water, the women, had to walk a long distance. Neoma took me on this trail, with the promise of getting a donkey to carry the heavy bottles. I followed her down to the road where the donkey was supposed to be tied up and after shouts from other tribe members that only Neoma could hear it was apparent we would be making the journey sans donkey.  We walked a long way across the desperately dry land and eventually found the animal - the thought of walking all that way with heavy bottles of water was a daunting prospect.

The tribe gets their water from a dirty looking lake, in which they also wash and occasionally swim. I worried about the outbreak of Cholera my doctor had vaccinated me against and how the tribe managed not to contract it.

After three days sleeping in a foetal position, hearing all manner of wildlife outside and using a bush as a toilet I was still sad to leave my new Masai friends.

During my time in Tanzania I also stayed with the Iraq tribe, who have a very different way of life when compared to the Masai. I was surprised to find I would be sleeping in a brick house on a proper bed and could even use a long-drop toilet. I was staying with the friendliest and most welcoming family: On my first night the men of the village performed a traditional dance where they dressed in robes and hand-made beads not unlike those worn by the Masai.

Their numerous necklaces were crafted from the smallest beads and made a fantastic sound as they danced. Their robes were woven and multi-coloured, however they no longer wear these on a daily basis. Their chanting was not unlike the chants of the Masai tribe with added drums and they performed a dance routine.

The family I stayed with cooked me delicious meals: rice with peas and coconut sauce and ‘pancakes’ for breakfast. They could speak a little English and were interested to hear about life in Scotland. Their lives revolve around farming, and the men even took me out cattle herding. My attempts at guiding the cows and goats seemed to amuse them.

Surprisingly, the men of the house made beads with me which was very therapeutic. They use tiny colourful beads and have great skill at threading them. Then I was taught to make rope, which I was told could be used to tie up my cow! After that they had yet another activity for me… milking a cow. Being from the city I had never done this before so they found it hilarious when I accidentally squirted milk at them - I was just happy to have got some out.

Staying with the Iraq tribe was wonderful and the family really treated me as part of the tribe. Their way of life is quite different to the Masai but each is equally unique. Living with tribes certainly makes you realise that things could be much simpler. And it's an experience anyone can have:

I visited the two tribes through a Tanzanian NGO named Art in Tanzania (www.artintanzania.org) which offers safaris, trips and volunteer programmes whilst helping the poorer communities.  They provide very basic accommodation as part of some of their programmes but there are many luxury hotels in the town of Arusha.

When should I go?

I visited the Masai tribe in August which is a cooler time temperature wise as it is winter/spring in Tanzania. If you do not mind living in heat you can visit the Masai tribe any time. 

How much do things cost?

Living in Tanzania is relatively cheap and diverse. You can buy a budget meal or dine out at one of the luxury hotels in Arusha. Therefore, prices start from less than £1 and can be as much as a luxury western meal if you choose to dine in a hotel. Travelling by coach is a very cheap way of travelling with the average cross-country journey working out at about £15 for a luxury coach, prices vary depending on which company you choose. Staying in a luxury hotel does not cost much less than western hotels: a standard room is roughly £100 per night. If you do not want to stay in a hotel but would like a bit of luxury, most hotels offer the use of their facilities, pool/hot shower for roughly £5. The price to stay with the tribes varies according to other trips you wish to take part in and how long you would like to stay. Contact Art in Tanzania to get an accurate price.

What not to miss

If you extend your stay in Tanzania, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a must. Again this activity ranges in price, from about £800 to over £1000 depending on the tour operator you choose and the ‘luxuries’ you desire. Tanzania offers many chances for safaris including the famous Serengeti. Lastly, take time to visit the town of Arush which has a huge craft market and many restaurants and shops. If you have the time visit Dar Es Salaam which hosts many spectacular beaches and luxury resorts, further afield is the paradise of Zanzibar which can be reached by boat or internal flight.

What extras should I take?

Definitely a torch - a head torch if possible. A mirror, bite and sting cream, antiseptic ‘no water’ hand wash, wet wipes, toilet paper and some items to give to the tribes people. The children appreciate basic toys such as balloons, colourful books, crayons and anything else you know a young western child would love. Adults appreciate practical gifts such as torches, etc.