Maasai Warrior

MAASAI WARRIOR ATTENDS NGO MEETING

2006-09-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

A pregnant cheetah looks for a safe place to give birth in Ngorongoro Crater

A Cape buffalo- Africa's most dangerous

A Maasai village just outside the rim of the crater.

Another village outside the rim of the crater.

The images above are from Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is mentioned in the despatch below. All of the images on this website are available as photo prints and orders of these prints from the photographer steve@rockiesnetwork.com will go to the Maasai Education Project in support of lepapa's education, water for women and a school infrastructure fund. Contact the photographer for details and contribution fees for prints.

Dear Steve,

I'm glad that every thing was good and we returned safely from the meeting we had so I'm in Arusha know and every thing is going well here but it is raining heavy. But this is not normal. In the past years it started to rain the month of November and December. This is early for the long rains.

In the meeting we discussed about the maasai living in Ngorongoro conservation authority area because the government enforced them to live there and find other place to live it was very challenging. But the solution is not yet discovered maybe in the next meeting which will be held in November.

Also we discussed about the ways and alternatives which the people can get for better life in maasai land including clean water, education infrastructure and health cares at top of the list in every ward. These people of different NGOs have given the work which they have done in some of the areas but I stood up and contributed the point that in my area we did not get such services .

The coming week we are going to declare our examination result so I will write you another e-mail to give you the details about my result and also to tell you the date when are going to open the college.

How was the slideshow for rising money for drilling a well and education? I will be very happy to get your information.

Please pass my greetings to All friend of mine in Canada

Lepapa

Yes, There is Water Here

2006-09-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Good news from Lepapa. There apparently is water beneath his village-they just can't get to it. Here is the letter I received from him this morning. If anyone has ideas of how to raise money for this project to help these people please contact me.

Steve Supai.

I'm very glad to get your e-mail and thanks very much if the story is interested I prepared by my self yesterday and I'm happy that I have managed to write.Thanks als o for wishing me luck to the conference I do hope that I will speak well and I will contribute my ideas to the confernce and also this confernce is daeling pastoralists and the large number of pastoralists is Maasai people in East africa so I will prey tyo my God to help us to discuss issues which bring the development for the Maasai.

I would like to inform you that in my village there a lot of place or areas where there is possibility of drilling a well you will be blessed if you can try as much you can inorder to drill this water for the villager of Loiborsoit A,My village has got 14 sub-village which is sarrounding the village and many sub-village have a problem of water.

concerned education issues,all this sub-village depend one primary school that is way I'm telling you that the pupils walk long distance for going to school even if we can find a centre place to build that nursery school and later we will find ways to expand to be primary through donors like you and we can write a prosal to government and International agencies to ask for support.

another is concerned supporting girls and boy for secondary school Mr Steve in my village I realy know the bomas who have orphans children and my advice is when we start education fund not every maasai is going to be supported is only those which we know that there parents are real poor they don't have ability to pay school fees.even if we can start with five student including me know and other four.

so concerned the water there is many places or areas which possible to drill the well.

Hope to hear from you and give me your opinion and advice about the all I wrote to you.

pass my greeting to all my friends

Have a nice day and be blessed.

Lepapa.

A Maasai Life-Going to School

2006-09-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

Giraffes at Lake Manyara.

The Camp crew in Serengeti. Lepapa at left backrow.

HOW I ATTENDED SCHOOL

Dear all,

I would like to take this opportunity to write my own story and the way how did I attend the school.

I'm Lepapa Putari Ole Nengeliai from East Africa and my Nationality is Tanzanian. I am the man at left in back row of picture above. I wear a yellow shirt. This picture was taken by my friend Steve at the Safari Camp in the Serengeti.

I was born in a village called Loiborsoit A, in Manyara region. In my family we are seven children: five boys and two girls and I'm the first born in my family that is the name Lepapa is originated means a SON OF FATHER.. My dad’s name is Nengeliai and my mam name is Nanoto. My grandfather has got four wives and my dad is the first boy in my grandfather’s family but the second born child.

During that time before I was born my dad liked school very much but my grandfather did not allow him to go to school but the government has made force that every elder must take one child to school and my father was lucky to go to school. During that time there was a lot of missionaries so it was a boarding school and the pupils stayed there all time till they complete there school. They were not allowed to go home frequently because they parent hide them so that they will not go to school any more.

My dad finished primary school there after he went back to my grand father but my grand father told my dad that he will not got to school any more because he missed my dad for a long time and my dad was very good for protecting or taking care of the livestock so my grandfather migrate to another place which is not possible to be seen by the government. It is in the bush , forest and is not near the towns.

There after my dad was forced by his father to get married and there is no any alternative to disagree. My father get marriage when he was 18 year old. In maasai land the parents are the ones who choose and select a wife for their son so my grandfather went to look for a wife for my father- she is my mam. They paid bride price 25 cows and my mam married my dad. My mam was married when she was 13 years old. That was very young at that time and even nowadays there are some places in maasai land where they practice this thing.

When a women in maasai land before goes to the husband’s home she can get training from the parents but women especially train their daughters before they get married. This training it involve the way how a wife cares for the husband and clan by preparing food, washing, cares livestock and to be able to recognize all of the husbands livestock. If one is lost she will be beaten severely, collecting fire wood, fetching water and sexual satisfaction . All this a girl must be taught by parents before she get married because it is very important.

I was born 15/february 1980 My dad knows the date when all children born in my family. My mam was very young when she get a baby but my father loves her very much I normal like to know the life when my mam married and the time when my dad married and when I was born they slaughter a sheep for the member of our home, neighbours and relatives. People celebrated a lot if a baby boy is born. A baby boy is called [LEPAPA] in maasai land. Father’s prefer a baby boy to be born first in the family because they believe that boys are the one who will heritage his father but a girl is married by another man.

Giving Birth

When a maasai woman delivers a baby first of all they take an arrow and bow to get a blood from the cow. This means that if a baby boy is born they will take a blood from a male bull- this will show that a baby boy is born and if a baby girl is born they take blood form the female cow to show that a baby girl is born so when people hear that some one get birth in a certain boma they go to that boma and watch which sex of age are they going to collect the blood from.

This blood must be mixed with milk and given to women in order to recover the blood which has come out during birth. She can be fed by the women for two days there after they will slaughter a goat for the women. It is important meat which is very light and not difficult to chew for a woman. Also she will drink a soup of that goat for two to three day and there is traditional medicine this including the roots, leafs of more than twenty trees of the forest and this soup is bitter but she must drink. Not only that but she can also drink the fat they believe that the fat can help a women to recover soon from baby delivering.

When I was three year old my grand father taken me to care for the calves. I had to ensure that the calves will have pasture but it is near home. My mam brought some food for me either milk or meat. She loved me so much and I real love her too. There after I started to go to school I still remember that my dad took me to school to get registration and I was wearing maasai cloth. It was an unforgettable day to me because the environment was different from were we live and I saw the teacher having stick and I was some pupils when beaten by the teacher I worried a lot and also the language they using is Kiswahili and english but I do'nt know.

After I got registration my dad left me back home and I stayed with children which are the same age with me but most of them are maasai and others are non-maasai. I got a friend who is a maasai his name is Kelembu and he was the same age with me and we get the same registration we start to make friendship and we don't know to speak swahili so the only language we speak is MAA if the teacher speak to us we speak MAA but I thank God that after a month I started to know a little swahili.

I use to walk far to school but not only me we was many but my mam prepare some food for me. She can take a calabash and put some milk and I go with it to school and all other pupils who are far from home to that so we have a place which we keep our milk until the lunch time. In the first of starting primary school was difficult to me.

In the second year I got other friend and the subject are very difficult but other friend of mine called Noongiya like to escape the classes but what I did is doing the same with him but I was discovered by the head teacher I was beaten a lot since that time I broke the relationship with that friend and I was a good attendee in school and also I started to open my mind and learn hard.

In standard 3 I was very intelligent. I scored number four[4] out of 95 pupils. My dad and mam were very proud. and my teacher also other pupils stated to worried me and they asking assisance for some of the subject like english mathematic and civics. I was adviced by my father to respect the teachers and everybody who is elder than me.

In standard four there is always a great competition that there is a certain score you must rich in order to get to standrd five. I worried a lot that maybe I will ashame my dad and mam. Then I started to make more effort and study harder and harder but I thank God that I performed well in my examination and I went for class five there after class six and I finished class seven that is an end of primary school education.

When I completed standard seven I wanted a lot to go for secondary school. I completed standard seven 1994 but I stayed at home for three years because my dad have no ability to pay school fees and other required things. There is a lot of my classmate who went for secondary school but I cryied a lot to my dad and mam so that they can take me to school. I real remember one day I cried untill my mam cried too when I was home. I was just taking care of my dad cows and my dad has got 10 and we are many so he failed to sell the cows in order to get school fees because he has got a lot of people who depend on him like my aunts, uncle and others who are not able to buy food for their family and my dad is only the one boy who is the first and who is educated up to primary school.

When I was in the forest I was praying and put my knee down and started to pray to God so that I can get support to go to secondary school two year gone without getting it then I said I will never go to school again I cried for three year to God but I thanks God that my dad went to one missionary who stated gospal to my village. There swedish people my father requested them if he could find sponsorship for me the missionary promised my dad that he will look for it. I was proceeding praying and my mam do the same, I will never forget it was 22nd February 1997 my father came and take me form the place I was caring his cows and brought me to Arusha.

When we riched to the tamack road I never see a lot of cars so I was suprising a lot my dad told me don't worry as long as I'm with him. I was like 17 year old that time but I have never been to Arusha town. We went to this missionary house in Arusha is called ULAMAY and fellow Mr and Ms Blohm he was given my father money and he took me to a secondary which was in Arusha Monduli district is called MORINGE SOKOINE SECONDARY SCHOOL. Life changed a lot because I had never sleep in a matress so I started to sleep on the bad of madress at that time.

My father bought books, pens, pencil and ruler for me and all other things which are needed at the school also another thing which I will never forget is that first day when I weared a trouser and shirt. It was interesting. one friend of mine told me before you wear a trouser you must wear underwear first. Sure these things were very strange to me that time but I thank God that although I was primitive I have been able to live and stay with people at school who are not my tribe.

I tried to study more hard because every year the school have examination and a student needed to reach 50% in each subject. I was studying hard and ask assistant from other student who understood the teacher more, I was happy that when I'm asking for the favour every body was helped me in all subject. I studied in that school through the sponsorship of them till I finished form four, Missionary continued to support me for form five and form six which I attended the high school in Kilimanjaro region a school called VUNJO HIGH SCHOOL it is in MARANGU - the way to climb mount kilimanjaro.

After form six I scored a very good mark in my final examination and my parent mam and dad were very happy for that but not only that but also many people in the village were happy because I went to school. After my high school studying I tried as much as I can to look for the job to do here in Arusha I got a security job as they believe that maasai are not warring with the wild animals like Lion leopard cheeters and other.

I told the boss of that company I 'm educated so I can do some work that is performed by ellite but he told me that I'm a maasai warrior so he must give me security job in serengeti to make sure that I will protect the clients from the wild animals. I agreed because I was in need of some money which can help me and other to send to my mam and dad to buy food.

I went to seregeti as a security man. I took my spear like the one I have send to my friend Steve and bush knive which is also very big and good. In my stay in serengeti I met a lot of client from different countries in the world normally in the evening when the client come back from the game drive there is a camp fire which is near the mess where the client takes some drinks. There I met a lot of client in serengeti but other were very much interested with me because they need to know a lot about the maasai and it was there first time to see the maasai.

In frebruary 2005 I do'nt remeber the date excatly is the day when I met the kind and good people to me that is Mr Steve Short and Ms Bernie from canada they saw me with my spear and asked me my job here and I told them that I'm a security man taking care of the client during the night I stay out the whole night to make sure that tje lion will not come to disturb the client I did my work perfectly with great success.

When I was with Steve and Bernie I told them many thing about maasai culture and tradition and all they way of life in maasai land and I was asked by Steve and Bernie if I need to go for school but I told them the true that I need to got to school but I do'nt have ability because the money which I was been payed three thousandTSH which is not succefuly my need and school. I asked them if they can sponsor me but they promised me when they go to canada they will find a way to sponsor me they left e-mail address to me and I gave my e-mail address too. after three week I got there e-mail and sure they did fundrising for my studing I was wanted to be a tourguide or safari guide I send them every thing of the college which I wante to join they payed school fees accomodation and they send me money for the matress too.

I Thanns very much Steve Bernie all friend who contributed money for my tourguide school like Fernie friends Ottawa and evenother friend i n UK who found by Steve and Bernie I realy know that Steve and Bernie are the foundation to me for my education myself mam,dad,realtive,friends and maasai communty thanks you for your great support.I continued to study there in tour guide school btu I have applied many college before I get the tour guide school. Mr steve Ms Bernie contributed much in my success in life

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MY FRIENDS.I studed seven month in tourguide school.

There after I got luck to get a college called Community Development Training Institue CDTI -Tengeru which is providing Advanced diploma in community development I was also very interested in that beacsue I wish to help my community who are not step forward for development. I left Tour guide school and I join CDTI-Tengeru my examination result of the first semister I send to Mr Steve and know we are waiting for the second semister result. once I will get them I will send soon to Steve and show him how much I'm make effort in studing example in the first semister result I scored as follwos 1 Communication skill =A

2Gender and Development =A

3.Community Development=A

4.Law=B+ and

5.Economics=A

My parents, friends all relatives were very happy for my result and even my canadian friesnd are happy too I will send the second semester result soon once it will be declered.

I'm intering the second year and next year I will be third year then finishing. in this college I have got the sposor for school fees and accomodation only which is cost six hunderd thousand and fifty every year. but I was looking for sponsorship for stationary and meals I thanks my Canadian friends for sponsored me all the first year for stationary and meals THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MY GOD BLESS YOU.

On 10 march 2006 Mr Steve wrote me an e-mail to go to see Mr Fred Geizt and his son Eric who came from the same place they brought me a parsel from Steve and CD which is concerned about their trip to africa and also they brought some clothes for the Kilimanjaro porters. Steve gave Fred some money which I will use to buy the spears which steve will sell for increasing more fund for my studies.

Fred and his son Eric were staying a Lodge called Coffee Plantation lodge is in the main round to moshi. Fred and his son were going to climb mount kilimanjaro, I went to coffee plantation lodge and I'm succeeded to meet Fred and his son and they given me all the thing which given by Steve and they have gone to climb the mountain the next day but we arrange to meet at the lodge on 18th so that I will give them the spears to Steve inorder to sell for supporting me at the college.

I went back to town and the next day I went to maasai land at my village to buy the spears I was succeeded to get the spears and I'm happy that I have given to Fred on the appointement day I met his there and I'm very happy that he and his son succeeded to climb up to the highest peak of mount kilimanjaro I gave him the spears and there I drink a called cocacola and Eric was sleeping we went together to see Eric in there room.

Fred and his son are very good friend to me I appreiciated them and I wish I could see them again. so all this is my story from I was born till the moment but I will have a lot to write to you all. also Steve wrote me that he will show a slide show in september and he will send some of the spears and others he will sell october and send the money to me through western union money transfer.

wishing you a nice reading of story and I shall write the other one next time. but I will be very happy to inform my friend that next week on 18septemer I will travel to Karatu to represent this NGO which I'm volunteering to participate a workshop which is Organized by

PASTORALISTS NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION's FORUM[PINGO'S FORUM]and the issue which will be discussed is that STRATEGIC PLANNING REVESION 2007/2010 CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP which will take three days.I will e-mail to you all.

Best regards,

Lepapa Ole Nengeliai.

Woman's Life Needs Improvement

2006-09-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

WOMEN ACTIVITIES.

Women works up at 5.30am and the first thing they do is milking the cows with a thing called a calabash women can be assisted by girls to milk the cows when the finish milking they prepare some food for the family but the first person to get food is the young boys called LAYENI this is a boy who is not yet circumcised and he goes to take care of the cows and the MORANI[worrior]support the boy to graze the livestock.

When a worrior goes for grazing he must bring the weapons which can protect him and the livestock from the wild animals this weapons are,spears a bush knive and a stick.In most maasai communities people live in the bushes where the wild animals stays so there is always a war between the wild animals and Maasai worriors in hurting a lion the people who are responsibly for that is only worriors because they are the arm or soldiers of the community.

Lion,leopard, cheeter,buffaloes,wild dogs are the dangerous wild animals in the bush especialy during the dry season they hunt livestock at the bush and in the bomas.once the lion kill a cow worriors organize together more than 60 to 70 worriors and they go to the place where the lion kills the cow when they meet th lion they round the lion and they have the song which they song for the lion the lion keep silence but looking fot the worries and know they start to throw the spears to the lion till the lion die.

When a lion died there are important things which the worriors carry to the society to show them that they have killed the lion.first the tail of the lion,the first worrior who throw the spear to the lion is the one who take the tail of the lion and the second takes the foot of the lion and the rest of the worries they distribute a sin of the lion and every one wear at the neck or at the arm.

There after they goes to the society community when they are singing,there are special sons for singing when the lion is killed women of the whole socity,elders and girls goes for dancing to congratulate there worriors for killed a lion.This is a difficult and serious issue for killing a lion by using a spear I personaly I killed lion in 1998 in the forest called NAANGAMA.when worriors passing bomas they slaughter for them a goat and they given a lot of milk,tey passes eighteen bomas and singing specially sons for killing a lion.

I would like to turn back to the women,they also responsible for fetching water,collecting fire wood,they can go about 30 to 40km for looking water in our society there is no boreholes so the water fetched to the diged well in the bush as you can see in the picture women travel long distance for looking water the cars of the maasai is donkeys so you can see women who travel long distance fetching water and the dokies help to carry water and other carries 20lites of water by her head,is a very difficult thing to other people so if we can get a borehole it can help this people and they is many place which I thing if we do survey water can be found.also when women travel for they use to come late back home and they can meet the wild animals in their way to home.normaly lion are worring the human being but if the lion is very hunger he can danger a human being but they use to kill the donkies when women run away.

EDUCATION IN MAASAILAND.

In my village we only have one primary school which called Loiborsit A primary school it the the school which I attended my primary school there after I went for Secondary school for ordinary level this means from Form One to Form Four [i-iv] I walk 25km from manday to frieday it was very difficult but my home place is far from the school but up to day there a lot of pupils who walk for long distance up to school in my village like 30km when the rich to school there very tired for walking so the situation is very bad in maasi land.

also girls are not allowed my there parents to go to school because a girl in maasi land after riching the age of 14 is suitable for marriage so this is another big problem for girls in maasai land.the parents receive the bride price and sold there doughter to other worries to get married.

this is a difficult situation so I here by asking any body to support this girls inorder to get education and also we need a nursery school and even secondary school because we don't have the situation is terrible I like if possible my friend in canada,fernie to visit my home one day I think you will appreciate the situation

by know my time is cut off and I have paid 2000 Tanzania money to get internet service here in arusha but my time is off so I will write many stories soon because I have no time again.

I wish you all the best

Have a nice day

Best Regards

Lepapa Putari Ole Nengeliai

September Message from Masailand

2006-09-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

To all my friends in Canada. My family and every body in my village say hiy to you and every body in Fernie and Ottawa. I wanted to ask you there is any thing wrong because I did not hear from you long time?please e-mail me when you get this e-mail my heart will be happy once I get you e-mail and I will be happy to know how are you doing.

Now I have got a Volunteer work in Non -governmental Oragization which is called MWEDO,Maasai Women Development Organization it is in arusha but it is working in three district which is Simanjiro,Kiteto and Monduli the main work is to educate the maasai women concerned development I will be volunteer untill we open the college september or october.I will be visiting each village and try to teach the maasi women to take their children to school,and eradicate women circumcision also to educate them in health issues e.c.t I will be happy to do this works because I 'm willing from the bottle of my heart to help my fellow maasai.

I willl be happy to get you e-mail and also new about canada.

Lepapa Elected to Student Government

2006-06-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy to write to you I would like to take this opportunity to introduce my self My name is Lepapa Putari Ole Nengeliai. I am a Maasai boy and I was born in a village called Loiborsoit A in Simanjiro District of Tanzania. It is 100km from Arusha Town, the capital city of my country. I'm very lucky among the Maasai children because I'm educated and I thank God for that. In my distict and village I'm the first boy to attend high school and college so this is a very big thing to me and the Maasai society.

In the year 2004 I completed A-level studies in Kilimanjaro region there after I have been working in a Tourist company here in Arusha as a security man. My responsibilities was to protect the clients who were on safari from the wild animals. I worked in Serengeti National Park where I met my Lovely friends from Canada- Mr Steve Short and his wife Mrs Bernie. I was protecting them the whole night and I had my Maasai spear and bush knife which are the weapons I used to take care of the clients at the bush.

I shared a fire place at night with Steve and Bernie and I'm very happy to meet them there. We became very good friends to me and asked me many things about the Maasi culture and also I asked them if they can be able to help me to go for a tourguide school.

I have attended a tour guideschool because of there support then later I got luck to attend a college which is providing bachelor degree in community development were I'm studing recently. I have got a lot of support from Fernie friends in Canada and other friends who steve has found for helping me.

My parent lives at the village and I stayed one year without attending the college because my parent are not able to support me and this is a big problem which is facing most of the children at the village [maasai land] Some time when a child finish primary school if it is a boy his parent take him to look after livestock and if it is a girl her parents find some one to marriage her in order for them to get a price or cows. It pains me a lot because I have investigated since I went to school that nothing compares with education. Education is the key of life for example if you get education when you complete it the government or Non-governmental organization employs you and you will be in a good position of life and also to help the community and the nation at large.

The aim of me to attend the college is I wanted to provide the knowlegde and skill which I got from school to eradicate ignorance at Maasai land and try to teach them how the world is going today. There is a lot of things which the Maasai do'nt know like diseases- most of them know nothing about all of this.

My school name is called Community Development Training Institute -Tengeru [CDTI] in Arusha. I'm happy and I'm enjoying my studies very much. I'm in the second semester for first year and October I will be the third semister for 2yr and the duration of this college is three years so I will complete October 2008.

In Maasai land we have a shortage of schools this including nursary school and here is primary school but is far to some of the student also we have lack of clean water, hospital or health center. I have an idea of finding ways of doing some development in my village and the district too.

I used to teach kids near the tree which is inside our home village. It is a big scheudle tree but I use to have a lot of problem like winds e.t.c so I'm praying to my God to help me and care till I finish my studies and try to find ways and means of helping this Maasai Generation.

Also I'm happy to tell every body that last week the college did election for the student leaders but I was very happy that I'm elected to be the Minister of discipline and relations at my college and I do hope that I will be the leader of the Maasai community in a very few years to come.

Thanks all and my God bless you all.

My Village Needs School

2006-04-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

The photos above are of Arusha, where Lepapa is attending school, and the main road out of Arusha south to the Tarangire National Park area, and some of the wildlife found in the area.
The following is an excerpt from an email sent by Lepapa giving an introduction to his village.

My village is called Loiborsoit A. It is in a new region called Manyara near Tarangire National Park, about 100 km south of the Tanzania capital of Arusha. It is off the main paved road going to Ngorongoro Crater. At Meserani on the main road we take a dusty road then pass Lokisale, Terrat,Sukuro, Narakawo,Loiborsirit, Emboreet and others.

It is in a district called Simanjiro where the main economic activity is livestock keeping and farming but this year most of the livestock died due to lack of rain. The same thing with farming and there were almost no crops so things are very difficult now.

The main thing that can help my fellow Maasai is education but most Maasai cannot take their children to school because of the poverty-they can't pay school fees. There is also a shortage of schools-the nearest is 50 km. There is no nursery school and sometimes I used to try to teach English, Mathematics and Kiswahili. It would really help to have a school. I must go now because I have run out of time. I am at Internet in Arusha and have paid for one hour.

Lemorani Supai(Good Morning Warrior)

2006-04-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a few Maasai words and phrases that Lepapa sends to us.

Lemorani supai: Good morning warrior
Yeyo takwenya: Good morning Mother
Papa supai: Good morning Father
Sere: Goodbye
Kule: Milk
Yeyo njaki kule: Mother can I have some milk?
Ngiri: Meat
Iltunga'nak: A crowd of people

Lepapa Ole Nengeliai

2006-04-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

I am Lepapa. I will send email messages to Steve and he will post them after he returns from Peru on June 7. For now I have one photo of me in traditional Maasai clothing. If possible, my friend will post some excerpts from our communications that might interest people who wish to know more about Masai people.

Introduction

2006-04-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

My name is Steve Short. I am a Canadian Photographer who went to Africa in 2005. While camping in the Serengeti I shared a campfire with a 20-year-old Maasai warrior who was being employed as what he called, "a security man". That meant that he had to stay up all night to keep the fire going and to protect me from lions and the many other dangerous things that prowl the darkness of the Serengeti Plain. And he did it with a spear.

One night we discussed Lepapa's dream of one day being more than a security man. He knew that education was the key but the wages of a security man are very low, even by African standards and there was little chance that he would be able to make enough to pay for safari guide school. He was committed to getting educated and had already proved himself as he was the first of his district (pop. 5,000) to finish high school. If he could go to safari guide school then he might be able to get a better job then save enough to go to college.

Ultimately he wanted to help his people adapt to rapidly changing times. He talked about the problem of the women having to spend so much time travelling 20 km for water daily, even when they had baby at the breast. He talked about trying to educate the children of his village under the shade of a tree near his village but that the wind and duststorms would blow their meagre school swupplies away. If he could just get educated then he could help his people.

THat night I told him I would try to find ways to help him further his education.

When I returned to Canada I showed slideshows of my Africa trip and managed to raise enough from my small Rocky Mountain community to pay for Lepapa's tuition, room, and board at Safari Guide school. Since then he has been able to get a government sponsorship to attend community development classes at a school in Arusha, Tanzania. THanks to the people of Fernie, British Columbia, relativces and friends from Ottawa and the United Kingdom, he has been able to continue his studies. Expenses such as food are not covered so when we can we send some money to him by Western Union. He needs about $50.00 a month to maintain himself. THis blog is intended to help raise funds for Lepapa's education and to establish stronger conn3ections and understanding between his Maasai culture and those of us in the first world who take so much for granted. Lepapa has been corresponding with me over the past year occasionally by email. He must walk 10 kilometres and pay to use the email. It's not like here in Canada. Everything is much tougher. Not to mention the fact that there is a lack of clean available water, infrastructure is poor and opportunities for a life beyond mere survival are dreams.

Lepapa has already shown he is a man of courage and vision so I have set up this blog as a voice from Africa that is pursuing a dream that will benefit the Maasai.

He will email me his stories from time to time and I will post them on this blog. I hope you enjoy them and find it in your heart to help.

We already have strengthened the connection between Fernie, B.C. and the Maasai. Teacher Fred Geitz and his son Eric travelled to Africa recently and delivered clothing donated by Fernieites to porters on Kilimanjaro. They also met Lepapa and aranged to bring back some Maasai spears that will be auctioned here at a slideshow in the late spring. The proceeds will go to Lepapa's education. Thanks to Fred, Eric and the many people who have donated cash and other goods, we have made a difference in the life of someone who was once a stranger, is now a friend, and will surely be a leader of his people someday.