Culture and Current Needs

The Maasai People and Church Work Among Them

The Maasai people are a Nilotic people who live mainly in Kenya and Tanzania, East Africa. The Maasai have 15 or more sub-tribes. Yet some of the sub-tribes have “ceased to exist” because of inter-tribal conflicts. For example, the Ilaikipiak used to be one of the largest sub-tribes, but when they became proud and began to bother all the others, the other sub-tribes got together and fought against the Ilaikipiak. They ceased be a separate sub-tribe.

The Samburu in Northern Kenya and the Baraguyu in southern Tanzania also speak the Maa language. Estimates for population for the Maasai range from 500,000 to 800,000.

The Maasai are a pastoralist people, but many of them now have their own separate plots with a garden. As this kind of movement toward private plots continues it will mean that they will be able to have fewer and fewer cows. These days are times of great change for the Maasai and so during this time of change they really need the Word of God in their hearts and lives as an anchor.

The Maasai traditionally believe in one God (Enkai). They also know and understand many of the Biblical characteristics of God even apart from the Bible. They have traditionally said, “Esai,” at the end of their prayers. Paul has asked them about this and they say that this is referring to God’s Son. So, they recognize that God does have a son and refer to him at the end of their prayers. But until Christians came and shared the gospel they did not understand anything about who the Son was. Today we are very thankful to say that many of them now do know about the Son and have become Christians.

The Maasai have many ceremonies to celebrate transitions into different stages of life. Some of these ceremonies are compatible with Christianity but many of them include the work of the diviner, use of honey beer, sacrifices and sometimes illicit sex. The Christians are beginning to have more discernment about what is acceptable and what is not.

The Maasai traditionally go to the diviner when there is a problem like sickness or if, for example, someone steals a person’s cow. They go and ask him to bless the family with the sickness and give them charms. They also sometimes curse those who have stolen things so they will bring them back. Christians have been taught that these charms and curses are not compatible with Christianity.

The Maasai work among the Christian churches started in the late 1970’s and is still in process now (2006). As many as 20 families with the Christian churches have worked with the Maasai in church planting and leadership training. Over 162 churches have been planted. Elders and deacons have been appointed in many of the churches throughout Maasai land. As many as 10 other denominations also work in Maasai land with the Maasai. It is estimated by some that the percentage of believers in all of Maasai land in all types of churches is 15-20%. It is difficult to know the exact number. The literacy rate is still low, but more and more of the youth are going to school and learning to read. Also, because of a literacy program begun about 10 years ago in Maasai land there are at least some leaders in most of these churches who know how to read. With the children learning how to read in the schools almost every village and most families have someone who can read.

The time is ripe for the Biblical materials production work that Paul, Pam and Angela Highfield are doing. It is their dream that these books will be used for many years to come in the Maasai churches. The vision is that all the various people who speak Maa will have an opportunity to read and use these books. Paul and Pam see this ministry in a visionary manner as trying to stay just ahead of the wave. The wave is all those who are Christians and those who have learned to read. Paul and Pam want to have the materials ready for those who want them now and those many who will need and want them in the future.