The Magnificent Maasai

In Tanzania, Africa, I had the privilege of an overnight stay and two days and two days of exploration with the nomadic Maasai tribe in their boma (village) and the surrounding lands. I heard the stories of the challenges they continue to experience as they attempt to preserve their culture amid the modernizing lifestyle that they are exposed to; and I witnessed the daily way of life. Despite their aesthetic differences in appearance, lifestyle, and social hierarchy, there also exists many similarities to the way we all interact -- in our curiosity, in moments of intimacy, times of contemplation, in the ways gender behaviors are similar across cultures, etc -- all of which are beautiful and precious. This glimpse into the Maasai's world reminds us once again that despite our magnificent differences, we are more alike than we may at first realize. In fact, we are universal.