Maasai Boma
On our way to the famous Ngorongoro Crater we stopped off at a real Maasai Boma. I say 'real' with a grain of scepticism, because these Maasai now earn their living giving tours to tourists, rather than by raising cattle and other traditional methods.The general expectations held by native Tanzanians were something of a disappointment to us, to be honest. It seems that generations of donations of money and physical labour have produced a mindset among natives that the white men are only good for a handout. Children are eager to wave at white people, not in the traditional manner, but rather with their palm held out, ready to take some expected offering.
I sound completely ignorant, I know. I could be entirely wrong, but the impression I got was not the one of dire poverty that is projected across the western world. No most mainland Tanzanians don't have electricity or running water or even balanced diets, for that matter, but as far as I could tell, they manage well within their environment. They live the same way they have lived for thousands of years, and who is to judge that it's wrong or insufficient for them?
I can absolutely see that things would get really tough in times of drought or natural disaster; the native Tanzanians live entirely off the land - thankfully, drought is not an every-day occurance. When it does happen, I would be the first in line to give help or donations. But regularly speaking, I honestly had a hard time giving hand-outs simply because it was expected of me, simply because I'm white.
I was eager to visit the Maasia boma, and to learn about their culture, so I agreed to pay the $25pp minimum donation. We were greeted with a traditional welcome dance, and lead into the boma with a special guide (they have 'guides' for everything in Tanzania, and of course it is expected that you tip your guide, regardless of the entrance fee paid). We got to take pictures with the Maasai men and women; Riccardo learned that Maasai men use a traditional two-feet jump to measure their virility; I learned a traditional dance move whereby the large, flat necklaces are made to bounce up and down on the chest by moving the collarbone.
Our guide took us into a house made of sticks and cow dung where we learned about the living arrangements of the Maasai: each boma is the home of one man and his many wives and children. The man sleeps in a different house every night, and has his own bedroom in each. The woman shares a bed with her children. Otherwise, the house includes only a cooking fire and a little stall in which to keep baby goats or cows. Each wife builds her own hut; young children take turns going to school and tending the cattle; we're not really sure what the role of the husband is... historically it was protecting his boma and going to battle - not so necessary any more.
We asked how the Maasai manage to have so many wives for just one husband - obviously this would lead to many displaced men in the western world, as once they reach maturity, young men are forced out of their boma. As it happens, Maasai people have far more girl babies than boys; it is suspected that this somehow results from their protein-only diet (comprised of cow meat, and milk mixed with cow blood).
After leaving the hut it was requested that we purchase some jewellery made by the hut's owner, in thanks for allowing us to visit (though I thought we had given our 'thanks' in our admission 'donations'). Next our guide took us out to the kindergarten, where the small children were learning basic sums and the alphabet. It looked a little hoaxy, but was very cool to get some pictures with all the little guys. When our 45-minute tour ended we departed and headed up the wall of the crater for our first views of Ngorongoro.
I have to say that I agree with most of what you said in this blog. I really felt that way, too: "This guy is white, he comes from a rich country, ergo he is rich and he should actually share his money with us!"
But I assume it is not that easy. First of all, we cannot speak for ALL OF AFRICA, but only the very, very small part of Tanzania and Zanzibar we have seen and there - most likely - only the touristy spots, so definetely not the poorest parts of the country. AND the locals live in communities that are more willing to share. basically if you live in your small village and you slaughter your cow or hunt down a gazelle you are expected to share with the others and you are more than happy to do that for obvious reasons. I think a kind of this mentality is "thrown" at us as we are rich, come there with ipods and mobiles and cameras in big jeeps and a huge bag of new and expensive clothes. We lodge in hotels (behind fences) and eat only the best stuff. From their point of view I can partly understand the attitude to raise the hand with the palm up...
Still - and I guess that is just my way of looking at things - I was astonished about how many people were sitting along the road under a tree at the best working hours of the day. Yeah, sure, unemployment and such, but it really did not look like they were trying hard to find a job. And the thing that I really disliked the most: There seems to be only very little entrepeneurship, creativity and the will to change the situation. Most companies are founded by foreigners, for example.
To cut a long story short: I tried to give the view from both sides. They are extremely different and no wonder they collide from time to time. I was not willing to give money to somebidy just because of a nice look or a raised palm because I think this only encourages begging. I was generous with people who rally did something for me like carrying my bag or cleaning my room or explaining me local traditions etc. But in the end eveyone has to figure that out for themselves.