The Maasai, like the Samburu, are a nomadic tribe who have retained their traditional lifestyle as cattle herders for hundreds of years. The Maasai however, are often reputed as fierce warriors, and are more well-known as the symbolic face of tribal Kenya. These days, the Maasai are reluctantly but slowly succumbing to tourism as a means of survival, as they have been denied much of their grazing land due to the gazetting of national parks.

I felt that the Maasai in this particular village I visited had become very accustomed to tourists, as they did not show much excitement or enthusiasm when they received visitors. The genuine buzz of excitement that I experienced in the Samburu village was lacking here because their interaction with us seemed methodical. It also didn't help that almost the entire tour group I was with, save my husband and I, was eager to leave almost as soon as they set foot in the village - because the entire village grounds was muddy and full of livestock faeces, unlike the cleaner, sandier village we had previously visited. It definitely made the visit more uncomfortable, and many opted to wait in the bus.

Adamant about seeing and photographing a slice of Maasai life, I trekked on nervously and carefully through the shit and sludge. It was extremely difficult to photograph spontaneously and freely when you have to watch every step or turn you take to ensure your feet, knee or camera bag doesn't land in a pile of shit! Amazingly, the Maasai were not bothered one bit, and be it 2 or 10 tourists, they still carried on as usual with the demonstration of their customs and lifestyle. Despite the conditions, especially with the added stress of keeping everyone else in the bus waiting impatiently, I tried my best to capture the essence and spirit of these people. If you feel I have somewhat succeeded here in portraying the Maasai, I would be delighted to hear about it. I welcome any comments or feedback, and thanks for "walking" through this Maasai tour with me.