Planning and Implementation Tug Of War

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By Madaraka Katana Balancing planning and implementation is one of the most significant challenges faced by leaders in community-driven projects. I’ve come to understand this deeply through my personal journey, serving in dual roles as Operations Manager at RegisTree, a community-based waste management and composting enterprise, and Chairperson of Dabaso Youth for Green Future, a youth-led organization focused on environmental action and empowering sustainable livelihoods. From the outside, planning and implementation may look like two natural stages of a project. One lays the foundation, and the other builds on it. But in reality, these stages often conflict, overlap, or even clash, especially in a grassroots setup where time, support, and resources are thin. Where the Struggles Begin Sometimes, the greatest challenge lies in spending so much time planning that implementation never really begins. You draft strategies, create to-do lists, organize meetings, and map out grand visions, b...
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African Cultures and Traditions- The Jumping Ceremonial Dance of the Maasai

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 Despite the civilization, Africans have maintained traditions that have continually shaped their respective cultures and have been passed down over centuries and millenia.

From the healing dance of the San to the bull jumping of the Hamar. From the famous jumping dance of the Maasai to the grieving culture of the Suki. These traditions has been so fascinating and attractive not only to the people around but further to international tourists.

What makes your culture unique? Join me in exploring the Continent Africa and the most fascinating and enjoyable cultures that you didn't know.



The Maasai



This community occupy the semi-arid of the rift valley of Kenya and Tanzania.
It has a population of about 1,640,000 people and is the most famous not only Africa but the whole world.
They are named after the language 'Maa' hence Maasai means "the people who speak Maa."
They are mostly known for their interesting cultures like
*The jumping dance
*The ceremonial spitting
*Their colourful dressing
*Lion Hunting 

The Jumping Dance



The dance is known as "Adamu". It is mostly for the EUNOTO (boys who are transiting to adults). They perform the dance to attract brides and the higher you jump, the higher the chance to get a bride.
The dance includes about 10 days of singing and dancing and they prepare by painting designs on their faces with Ochre.
They also wear colourful beadworks, necklaces and shawls.

The ceremonial spitting



Despite many regarding spitting as a sign of irritation and disregard, here in the Maasai land things are different. A spit is a very important thing such that can not be done to anyone.
The Maasai spit during greeting to show respect and also it's a sign of endosement.
When people are on an agreement of an idea, the should spit on the hand and give hand to each other.
It is also used to with goodluck and give blessings especial to brides and newborn babies.
The Maasai believe that when a baby is born and you say good things about the child it will turn to negative so you have to say bad things about the child and then spit on their forehead, that child will have good and happy life.

Wearing of colourful robes




Dressings among the Maasai was not done anyhowly but was done traditionally.
They were the famously known "Shuka" which is decorated with many colours.
The colours was not just a decoration but a symbolic of some aspects of their tradition.
*Red is for protection from enemies and wild animals as it scares predators like lions even from far distance.
*Orange represents friendship and hospitality
*Blue is for the sky the rains for their cattles
*Yellow is for fertilty and 
*Green is for naurishment 

Lion Hunting

The Maasai have learned to live with the world animals and other predators.
They are mostly known for their Lion Hunting tradition to prove their manhood.
The Maasai also so not burry their dead.
They believe that when a person dies, that is the end of his life journey in the earth so he/she has to give back to the earth.
The body of the dead is usually smeared with animal blood especially Ox and placed at the middle of the forest for predators to eat.

The Maasai are also mostly known for their courageous warriors (Morans).
These are usually responsible for protecting the communities and the cattles. Their main food is blood, meet and milk.

Maasai warriors sucking blood from cattle


The Maasai also live in houses called Manyattas which are built by women's and are built from the cattle feaces.
Manyatas



This cultures has attracted many tourists not only as viewers but to participate and enjoy the culture.
Tourists visiting the Maasai land



Read, share, leave a comment and follow the page every day for more interesting facts about African cultures.



Comments

  1. WARREN SAMBULI SHILOVELESunday, June 12, 2022 at 1:21:00 PM GMT+3

    You have unfolded the secret about a people who value and carry their culture with them wherever they go without reproach...My antenna is raised for more!

    ReplyDelete

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