The Maasai are one of the most unique and well-known tribes in Africa. They are a Nilotic ethnic group that inhabits parts of Kenya and Tanzania - including around the Serengeti and Maasai Mara National Parks. Going on a safari in the Serengeti is a once-in-a-lifetime experience but there are some things that every traveler should know beforehand.

The Maasai are traditional and wear their traditional dress and follow their traditional customs. Whereas many other tribes around them seek to modernize and be globalized, the Maasai seek to preserve their traditions and customs.

Customs Of the Maasai

  • Language: Native Language Is Maa, Many Also Speak Swahili and English

They are nomadic and pastoralists and boast some of the best long-distance runners in the world. They capture the imagination of tourists with their distinctive dress, diet, and way of life. In the past, the Maasai were a warrior tribe and would frequently attack and raid other tribes for their cattle.

Wealth: A Man's Wealth Is Measured In How Many Children And Cattle He Has

Central to the Maasai's way of life is their cattle. Cattle are their primary source of food and measure of wealth. A man's wealth is measured by how many children and cattle he has (he also traditionally pays the bride price for his wife/wives with cattle to her family).

  • Burial: Traditionally Maasi Are Not Buried But Left For The Scavengers

Perhaps strange for Westerners, traditionally there is almost no funeral ceremony for the departed. Instead, the dead are left out in the fields for the scavengers. As they believed that burial was bad for the soil, in the past only the great chiefs would be buried.

They have many traditional customs, including rites of passage and circumcision. Traditionally for some Maasai for a boy to become a man, he must kill a lion with a club - although this is not common today. While after circumcision a boy often shaves his hair. Read more about Maasai customs on Maasai Mara Travel and Maasai Wilderness.

Related: Things To Do In Africa (Other Than Go On Safari)

Maasai Wealth And Marriage

  • Patriarchal: Maasai Society Is Firmly Patriarchal

The Maasai society is firmly patriarchal. Men are free to take as many wives as they can afford. In Maasai culture (and common in much of Africa), men must pay for their wives. They must pay an expensive dowry or bride price, the wives are then expected to work hard with many jobs to be done around the house (although the husband is to have separate houses for each wife).

  • Polygamy: The Maasai Are Polygamous With Men Often Having Multiple Wives

It is common to see Maasai with multiple wives, of course, this also means that many poorer men struggle to afford a wife and will often move to the cities in search of work. In Tanzania, it is very common to see the Maasai working as security guards. In Tanzania, they are greatly respected and feared for their ability to fight - which is a reason why they are employed as security guards.

  • In Cities: It Is Common To See The Men In Cities In Tanzania Working As Security Guards or Selling Crafts

Related: 10 Best Things About Traveling To Africa

Visiting The Maasai

It is common for tourists to visit the Maasai tribes in exchange for a fee. Often these cultural visits are part of safari tours of the Serengeti and Maasi Mara. Tours will often stop by at a Maasai village for an hour or so where the locals will put on a traditional performance for the tipping visitors.

The Maasai village is typically an excursion that includes a longer multi-day safari tour of the national parks. There are numerous safari packages to choose from some can be seen on Maasai Mara.com and Safari Bookings.com.

The visits enable tourists to see their way of life first hand get their selfies taken for Instagram.

  • Visit: Visiting The Maasai Is Often Part of A Safari Package Tour 4
  • Buy: Local Crafts From The Village

After paying an entrance fee or compulsory "donation" to see the village, the villagers will often try to sell various crafts to the tourists. Often this is where the villagers will make their money from the tourists, as the "donation" may not go to the village. The crafts are often inexpensive and hand-made - like bracelets, woodcarvings, and necklaces.

For those more intrepid travelers who don't want a commercialized and choreographed visit to a designated village feel free to visit by oneself. Intrepid travelers can just ask around where the different villages are and pay a visit. This is more for the intrepid travelers as many will not be able to speak English in the isolated villages.

  • Fun Fact: In Many Isolated Villages In Africa, People Have Never Seen A Foreigner Before

Next: This Namibia Park Is One of the Best (And Cheapest) In Africa For A Safari