I had fond memories making this picture of these two single Maasai men. I had not gone to them but they came to me instead while I was boarding the bus. According to our guide, these two young, single men - distinguished from the others by their brown attire and tall metallic head-dress - have come to me to ask me for my hand in marriage! I am sure our interpreter was joking, but I had to decline because in my monogamous society, I was already "taken". These two men have not yet been initiated into manhood as "warriors", but they were about to embark on a solitary journey for two weeks to hunt down and kill a lion as proof of their courage - to be worthy as men or warriors. The Maasai have done this for centuries and they still hold-on strong to their traditions. But now with the protection of lions in national reserves, I am not sure if these men will have the opportunity to achieve this rite of passage. If they succeed, they will still have to wait a few years before they can become senior warriors who are then free to marry. Perhaps these cheeky young men wanted an easy way out by coming to me! But for me, it was simply a joy having the opportunity to photograph them quite intimately! I think this image portrays the sentiment of that moment quite well. The young man in the front who came up to me leans forward with determination and a cheeky smile, while his friend stands behind him, as if in support of his quest. And possibly waiting next in line!