Maasai, Then and Now
Part of the Addressing the Statue exhibition.
Loss of Lands
For centuries, the Maasai people moved freely across the territory that would eventually become Kenya (1963) and Tanzania (1961), taking their cattle and other livestock to different seasonal grazing grounds. In the late 1800s, European colonizers began to restrict the movement of the Maasai. By the time Theodore Roosevelt traveled through East Africa in 1909 and 1910, the British government had forced Maasai off their lands to make way for white settlers. The effects of the loss of lands continue to this day for the Maasai.
Maasai Today
Today Maasai people are working to protect their land, language, and culture. Some communities, like Maji Moto, host tourists. At Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Camp, visitors have a chance to see wildlife and learn about cultural traditions on Maasai lands.