Why the Maasai Are the Most Dangerous Tribe in Africa.

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic, pastoralist ethnic group inhabiting Tanzania and Kenya. They believe in the concept of “manhood” or mataifa through which men are considered to be the owners of cattle and women are considered to be their dependents.

This means that Maasai men have the power to determine how many wives a woman can marry and how much property she will inherit. The Maasai do not allow for divorce, leaving women with no chance to reclaim their autonomy if they wish to leave their husbands.

On top of these patriarchal beliefs, traditional Maasai culture has long been plagued by violence against women. Men coerce girls into marriage by following them at home and outside where they must quickly but discreetly marry them so as not to be caught by other men who might object.

If a girl is unable to find someone willing to marry her at home then
she is sent back to her father’s house where she becomes an.

In addition to being very
traditional in nature, the Maasai also hold onto many superstitions
which further contribute to the ritualization of violence against women.
For example, during the circumcision ceremony, girls are often raped and
violated by the circumcised man before he is allowed to spend time with
his wife.

The practise
of marrying off girls is a dangerous problem facing the Maasai. This
practice has been documented in the past by UNICEF and other
organizations, but it continues to be prevalent.

Women who are married
off at younger ages become more susceptible to domestic abuse and are
less likely to leave their marriage because they have no way of escaping
without being shunned by society. As a result, this practice has had an
immense impact on Maasai women’s well-being.

The
effects on a woman’s life depend not only on her age but also on the age
of her husband. A woman aged 15-19 will experience a drop in status if
married to a man who is between the ages of 18 and 20, whereas a woman
aged 20-24 will experience an increase in status if married to a man who
is between 25-30 years old.  Being married to Maasai men can result in
greater restrictions than being single. The men can control where their
wives go and what they do, which can significantly impact their lives.

The
most common effect of marriage for girls is that it eliminates their
freedom. Young women are forced into marriage as soon as they reach
puberty, which often results in pregnancy before they have had any say
in the matter. In this way, marriage effectively erases any hope of
pursuing their own dreams or goals outside of their husband’s household.

The
Maasai are considered the most dangerous tribe in Africa because they
have long been known for their patriarchal beliefs and violence against
women. Men have reported coercing girls into marriage by following them
at home and outside where they must quickly but discreetly marry them
so as not to be caught by other men who might object. This practice has
left many girls unable to find someone willing to marry them.

But,
despite being forced into marriage, many Maasai girls eventually find a
way out of this situation. They can run away from home by going to a
nearby town or joining another community that is more accepting of women
such as the Samburu Tribe in Kenya. Others choose to be castrated so
that they no longer need their husbands in order to live independently.

To learn more about the Maasai, check out the article ‘What you need to know about the Maasai.’

There
are many ways to diminish the severity of this issue. For example,
education can be a solution in that it could teach Maasai people about
the rights of women and what consent means.

Education on abortion would
also allow for women to have more control over their own bodies, which
is one strategy that has been shown to be effective in countries like
Tanzania where abortion is illegal.

Additionally, the United Nations
Population Fund notes that female literacy rates are more likely to
increase among those individuals who live in areas with good healthcare
and education.

Furthermore, they state that when females have access to
the education they have better opportunities in life and are less likely to
conceive children out of wedlock or get pregnant before marriage.

As
a result, we can see how education and healthcare can help decrease
violence against women among the Maasai if implemented on a large scale.

Despite
the prevalence of violence against women in traditional Maasai culture,
there is one law that has a positive impact on the lives of these
women.

The Marriage Act of 1929 made it possible for women to divorce
their husbands if they were married before then and so was the case with
a woman’s consent.

The adoption bill,
which was passed in 2015, provides protection to girls by making it
illegal for a man to marry someone under the age of 18. The bill also
includes provisions that would allow girls to leave their marriages if
they wanted.

Despite the efforts of the adoption bill, Maasai
culture has been unable to adjust because of their belief in “manhood”
and the lack of female autonomy. They believe that women should be
married off as soon as possible so that there is no time for them to
grow into adults who have more power than their husbands. In order to
break this cycle, it will take time for traditional Maasai culture to
evolve with changing social norms and laws.

The
Maasai are an ancient tribe that live in Northern Tanzania. The Maasai
have a deep history that has been influenced by the harsh African
climate and their location in Africa.

Today, the Maasai tribesmen
live a life that is traditional and oftentimes dangerous for women. The
Maasai culture is one of violence and oppression where girls
are often forced into marriage. One of the main problems is the low rate
of education among the tribe which leads to many of the girls not being
able to make the right decision for their future.

The Maasai
have taken some steps towards improving their community and their
culture but in order to truly fix this issue, they need help from other
countries in Africa and throughout the world.