Facts about lion һᴜптɪпɡ by warriors
The Maasai have roamed Tanzania since time immemorial. Cattle in tow, the East African pastoralists have circled the land looking for fresh grass, co-existing with nature for as long as anyone can remember. But nature is not always kind. Fifty percent of the world’s lion population lives in East Africa – and lions like to eat livestock.
Imagine having a lion three meters away from you! Hᴜптɪпɡ a lion with a spear and shield is an experience of a lifetime.
Although lion һᴜптɪпɡ was an activity of the past, lions are occasionally hunted when they ɑттɑᴄᴋ Maasai livestock. Cattle are central to Maasai livelihood.
Imagine losing your bank account to a scanner?
Losing cattle to lions is a tragedy to a Maasai family. Maasai income comes, solemnly, from the cows. Therefore, protecting the cows from lions has always been a matter of grave concern to every Maasai.
Lion һᴜптɪпɡ journey
The lion һᴜптɪпɡ journey started at dawn, when elders and women were still asleep. The warriors sneaked out of the village in order to avoid discouragement from elders and women. The warriors would meet at a nearby landmark, for example, a tree, hill or rock. From here, the warriors departed to a predetermined area, where lions were most likely found. The warriors usually located lions by tracking them using footprints, animal droping and/ or vultures..
A few minutes before departure, the warriors must go through a sorting process that seperate junior warriors from senior warriors. In the warrior tradition seniority have the decision making powers. Ilmorijo (senior warriors) must select a group of qualified comrades with elaborate һᴜптɪпɡ ѕᴋɪʟʟs. The selected group was considered mature, strong and capable to face a lion. The group was known as Ilmeluaya (fearless warriors) who were ready to Ԁɪᴇ or live.
lbarnot (junior warriors) who were disqualified were sent back home for rest. Not every warrior would accept to return home. Rejection of junior warriors often triggered a fight between junior and senior warriors. The warriors fought each other with clubs, sticks and shields. Junior warriors would always lose the fight; even though, it was still worth a try.
The lion search ranges from 20 minutes to 10 hours. The Maasai warriors must chase a lion with rattle bells and make him upset. This chasing game irritated, angered, and made a lion face the hunters.
The way of pursuing the lion’s tail varied from section to section. For example, in Ilkaputiei section, when a lion was hunted, the warriors had to wrestle in order to get the tail. The tail goes to the strongest warrior. In Ilkisonko section, the tail went to the warrior who first speared the lion.
The lion һᴜптɪпɡ game was about group and individual commitment, strength, goal and dedication. The game was based on your personal background, environment and culture. The warriors did not need to attend a gym, nor a rifle for lion һᴜптɪпɡ. All you needed was one spear and one shield. Many warriors have been lost to lions. At the same time many lions have been lost to warriors.
When the senior warriors return home with a lion, a one-week celebration would take place throughout the area. Women from various villages would embrace and hug the warrior that speared the lion first. The warrior would receive Imporro, a doubled-sided beaded shoulder strap often given to a victor. The warrior would wear this ornament during the milk ceremony, meat ceremony, etc. The success of lion һᴜптɪпɡ brought excitement and gratitude to the entire communit.
What did the Maasai do with a ԀᴇɑԀ lion?
– The Maasai do not eat game meat. They strictly depend on cows, sheep, and goats. Three products are used from a ԀᴇɑԀ lion: the mane, tail and claws. The mane is beautifully beaded by village women and given back to the hunter. The mane is won over the head, only during special ceremonies. The mane helped warrior from far areas to identify the toughest warrior.
– The lion tail was stretched and soften by the warriors, then hand it over to the village women for beading. The warriors would receive the tail back when the beading was done. The warriors would keep and guide the lion’s tail in their manyatta (warriors’ camp), until the end of warrior hood.
In the video below, we can see What did Tribe with many Maasai warriors do to destroy Lion as prey to open the festival?
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Video resource: King Tiger Channel
