WORDS by KATE BLACK | IMAGES by JEREMY GOSS
A flurry of activity, a collage of colour, a competitive energy pulsing through the air. A tribe of warriors gathered together, marching with staves, adorned with flamboyant armour, ready for contest.
This is the Maasai Olympics – a biannual opportunity for the Maasai tribesmen of the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem in Kenya to prove their physical prowess, without taking the lives of wild animals.
For centuries strong, the Maasai people have viewed the killing of lions as a traditional right of passage to manhood. With the population of Kenyan lions in steady decline, there was a desperate need for change.
Partnering with the Menya Layiok (cultural fathers) of the warrior communities, Big Life Foundation has worked collaboratively with the Maasai people and other ecosystem stakeholders and funders to provide a revolutionary alternative to lion killing: a sports competition focused on traditional Maasai warrior skills.
Today, the event serves as a celebration of Maasai culture: a space for young Maasai men to display their physical strength and skill, and garner the respect of their communities. At the same time, it serves as a forum to educate these communities around pressing conservation issues that they can help to solve.
Watch the video to get a feel for this momentous occasion:
“In truth, this program is very successful and we are now doing something honourable. We used to celebrate lion hunting but this program has shown us a better celebration.”
Iltuati Maasai Warrior, Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem
“Today, not a single lion was killed and no one was hurt . . . yet you warriors walked away with over 5 million shillings of benefits. What we saw was the energy of our young warriors being channeled away from lion hunting toward trophy hunting.”
“This Maasai Olympics has been the greatest celebration of Maasai culture I have ever attended.”
Katoo Ole Metito (Maasai), Minister of Internal Security, Government of Kenya
To find out more about this fascinating happening and/or become a 2016 event sponsor, go to: www.maasaiolympics.com.
