Africa is a vast continent with 54 established sovereign countries, 9 territories and two facto the independent states with limited or established states. Africa boasts of the continent who speaks more than thousand languages. It won’t be inadequate to state Masaai being one of the most popular tribe of Africa.
Masaai tribe roots are etched around Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, They speak Maa language which is related to Dinka and Neur of Nilo-Saharan language tree, but they are well educated in the core languages of these countries such as Swahili and English. According to census 2009 population count of Masaai is more than 800,000.
Masaai tribe is known for their peculiar hunting style, attire and eating habits. Males are grown to be a warrior and females to be homemakers. Traditionally they wear Shuka a single cloth covering their body, belt , carries a wooden club, and wear beads jewelry. The warriors are allowed to keep long hair while young males have short hair. In Masaai tradition it is a norm to shave their head before starting everything or during every stage of life, to signify they have moved from one stage to another.
The staple food of Masaai has been Raw milk, raw meat and raw blood. They have special ration for Pregnant women of raw blood. Researchers due to their strange eating habits took their blood samples to check any signs of diseases; most researchers found negated and declared them healthy. Due to modern civilization, Masaai are facing inconvenience to maintain their traditions. Now the staple food of Masaai is raw milk and maize meal.
There was also a tradition of the Masaai tribe that males cannot marry until he has killed a Lion, but with Lion breed decreasing rapidly, the government of Kenya and Tanzania has banned Lion killing in 1958 but if a Lion attack their cattle of livestock they can kill a Lion and it’s still considered a sign of pride and people envisage them with respect.
It is a custom for males and females to undergo circumcision and males are considered weak and disrespectful if they are not patient during the process. Females are not considered as marriage material until they get circumcised. During both the circumcision process a ceremony takes place and after the ceremony both the girl and a boy has to wear black clothes for 4-8 months.
There is also a myth, when a mother is about to give birth; she is locked in a room and she has to deliver the baby all by herself, no midwife or a doctor is appointed to help the lady deliver a baby.
In Althaus’ article, she provides in-depth information about female circumcision; a highly controversial cultural ritual that is practiced in at least 28 countries
Whaling and whales have remained central to Makah culture. They are in their songs, dances, designs, and basketry. Their social structure is based on traditional whaling families. The conduct of a whale hunt requires rituals and ceremonies, which are deeply spiritual. And they believe hunting imposes a purpose and a discipline, which they believe, will benefit their entire community, especially the young, whom the Makahs believe to be suffering from lack of self-discipline and pride.
Africa is filled with several hundred distinct tribes that all bear themselves in a different fashion, depending on each other, or even fighting each to get what they want. This exchange between the many tribes has resulted in a rich history of conflict, economic development, and culture. One small example of the possible hundreds of tribes is the Mossi tribe, who reside right at the border of sub- Saharan Africa, in Burkina Faso and also the second largest ethnic group in Cote D'ivoire . While a relatively small tribe compared to the likes of the Zulus or the Dinka, their tribe is made up of roughly 3.5 million people, which is still quite a large number.The Mossi are neighboring the people of the Dogon, Kurumba, Gourmantche,Gurunsi, Bisa,Dagomba, and Sisala tribes. The Mossi have an official language called More, pronounced Moray, that is spoken by the them and most of the population of Burkina Faso, as well as about 60,000 people in Togo and Mali. Like many African languages, More uses pitch to distinguish the meaning of words and phrases. Their political was very closely connected with their religion, so as the Muslim religion began to spread throughout Africa, they resisted conversion to the religion even as most of the tribes around them accepted the religion. This may be why there are some Muslim influences within Mossi society. As Africa was being colonized by Europeans, the Mossi were one of the last tribes to be colonized, and when French colonists conquered them in 1896-97, taxes were imposed that impelled many of the Mossi to move to Cote D'ivoire to earn money. While they did not leave their families behind, many Mossi men went south to Cote D'ivoire in between crop-growing seasons and would return with the money th...
When parents first discover they are having a baby, there are so many aspects to consider. Who is going to be their doctor, which hospital are they going to deliver at, what are they going to name the baby, and what color should they paint the nursery. Parents that are expecting a male newborn have to decide if they want their baby to be circumcised. For many families, this is an easy decision based on their cultural or religious beliefs. However, for others the right option is not as clear. Over the years, the topic of circumcision has been debated and views have swayed for and against the procedure. Ultimately, the parents must evaluate all the pros and cons and make the decision that aligns best with their thoughts and beliefs. The parent’s decision about the procedure will be influenced by various factors. It is vital that they are educated on the accurate information surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of the circumcision. This paper will evaluate both sides of this controversial issue.
In Sun Chief particularly the chapter called “the Making of a Man” we can see that food is very important spiritually to the Hopi people. In the Wowochim ceremony each boy is given their manhood name over a “mother-corn ear” (159). In each of a dozen or more ceremonies we see that certain practices such as the sprinkling of corn (159, 160, 162, etc.), or the eating of unsalted foods as a form of fasting (158, 161, 165, etc.), is a major theme. This notion of giving foods back to the Gods, likely stems from the location of the Hopi nation in the desert region of the American southwest. Because food is scarce here, the Hopi people look upon it as the chief gift of the Gods, and therefore the offering of food back to the Gods makes sense. It also makes sense that in certain times of exceptional spiritual devotion, the giving up of food would be necessary to show an intense piety and strength.
Freedom of choice is a desire for most, but as we are young we depend on the decision of our parents. With this dependent nature of a child the freedom of choice is limited, for males this can lead to a life long consequence. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin; the skin covering the head of the penis. Circumcision is practiced for religious purposes in Jewish and Muslim communities. Normally, the boy’s age varies from 4 to 11 years old. In the United States, this procedure is also done but without a religious purpose. The boys in this case are commonly newborn. This practice became popular after medical groups claimed that there were many health benefits that came with circumcision. Though it has been proven otherwise, it is still a common practice in the U.S. fueled by ignorance. Circumcision is an unnecessary surgery that leads to psychological problems, issues with sexual activities and lasting physical damage.
Unlike male circumcisions which were practice for religious purposes, female circumcision is done for social convention and is practiced as a way to prepare girls for marriage, as well as conform to societal norms of femininity. Female circumcisions are often motivated by what would be considered proper female behavior and as a way to promote virginity as well as cause pain during intercourse to uphold these beliefs. Much like male circumcision these societal beliefs about sex and purity, have affected these cultures in their convictions that circumcision must be performed to be pure and free of
There is a diversity of tribes that the human society was once uninformed of its existence. Until the 1970, mankind was unaware of the Korowai society existence. The Korowai also known as Kolufu are from the southwestern part of the western part of New Guinea. The Korowai tribe follows a common language, economic system, and an exceptional lifestyle. They practice rituals and have incredible architectural knowledge. In the verge of extinction the Korowai tribe continues to practice their unique culture and traditional rituals.
The Apache were a very interesting group of Indians. The name Apache means “enemy” when translated. Many neighboring tribes feared them. They were located in Texas and the New Mexico Desert, and you can still find reservations there today.
have a Buntu history. As you can see the people that make up the tribes of the
...t spouse until about the age of twenty. Females are married in their early teenage years. A young married girl has to learn how to please her husband desires. The household consist of a man, his wife or wives and his unmarried children. Children are raised by their mother and other Korowai females. On the other hand, boys move to the males’ room at their early teenage years. Babies are carried by their mother in net bags and breast-fed.
In 1958, their population was approximately 40,000. The pursuant gatherers of Mbuti people are separated into several subgroups. They lived within their individual region, where they have their own languages and engage in their hunting practices. Each Mbuti subgroup uses a language of a nearest person and they do not have a text method. Their sizes are usually small and average; they also have naturally brown skin and churlish hairs. Mbuti persons exist in bands of 15 to 60. They live in hot, sticky and plentiful precipitation forest which is sprinkled with lakes and rivers. It also has a wealthy variety of flowers and animals. The Mbuti have exte...
and were helped by the present day Somali, Borana and Rendille peoples. The Maasai later
Many question whether female circumcision (FGM, genital cutting, etc.) is a form of abuse, is it a humane and morally acceptable practice and how can we fix this horrendous practice? These assumptive thoughts are typically made through the eyes of outsiders, female circumcision is many things and must be looked at through such a lens. Despite, all of this female circumcision is still framed very commonly between these three views, female circumcision is abuse, is a result of patriarchal societies, and is a cultural and religious practice.
The Maasai People from Kenya represent a pastoral society. They rely on the taming and herding of livestock as a means for survival. Those responsible for herding livestock are the Maasai warriors and boys, especially during drought season. They had cattle, goats and sheep as their livestock. I did notice a social transformation in their society. Each individual has their job to complete daily. For example, the women formed the houses, milked the cattle, cooked for the family and supplied them with water. The men made the fence around the Kraal and secured the society and the boys were responsible for herding livestock. These multiple duties, commanded by the elderly, eventually started emerging to new and different customs such as trading with local groups. This was