Life of a Maasai Woman

     The life of a woman in the Maasai tribe is certainly not an easy on. The Maasai are nomads, moving to follow the grasslands and water. The author of this website is a young man who went to school when getting an education was not considered necessary. Simon writes of the day to day responsibilities of the Maasai women.
    The woman's day starts early and ends late. The diet is primarily milk and that is only after the husband and children have had their portion. The men own the livestock and keep the money from the sale of the animals. The women may sell the milk of the cattle and they get to keep the money from the selling of the milk. Gathering the firewood for cooking and warmth requires walking about 6 kilometers and then carrying up to100# home. The water requires another 2 kilometer walk to carry that home.
     The women are responsible for building the homes, doing the repairs, milking the cattle, preparing the meals, washing the clothes, and the list goes on. The work load would certainly welcome the practice of polygamy so the other wives could share in the work to be done.
     This article makes frequent references to the need for the women to make sure the husbands do not get upset to avoid getting beaten. The is the threat of encountering dangerous animals as they walk to find firewood and water. Yet in the midst of all this hardship you will find some of the most beautiful beadwork being made.