WHEN THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO SAY, CONSERVATION WORKED
It is spread over 1510 sq kms and Maasais are the sole custodians here. The government hardly has any say and the local people manage everything, right from conservation to managing the touri
sm industry. That’s the speciality of this place.
Maasa means spotted and Mara is property. An aerial view gives an idea of the landscape – large tracts of Savanna grasslands with small patches of forest tracts. The people who live in this spotted areas are called Maasais and the place they live is their property, including river Mara.
The Maasais are basically warriors and have fought several wars, defending their homeland. The last one they fought was in 1989, when they got absolute right over managing their own provinces – that is Maasai Mara.
The entire land in Maasai Mara is owned by Maasais and the land is not sold. Even if the owner wants to sell his land, the buyer has to be a Maasai. Whoever wants to enter the Maasai Mara national park has to pay USD40 per day of stay. If he is a Kenyan national, it will be cost 17,000 Shillings, equivalent to USD20.
A group of Maasai youths keep a track on the people entering the national park and manage the collection of money. The money is distributed on the spot. While 50 percent of the park entry fee (from USD40) goes to Kayaki provinces, which constitutes half of the national park, the rest goes to the Maasai community. The collection boys get their due share and the rest of the money is distributed equally among the Maasai community.
When you get to know the antecedents of these Maasais and their lifestyle, you may think they are a bunch of duds, but not necessarily. The Maasais are intelligent and they know the business perfect. They are humble, friendly and polite. They take good care of the tourists, who are the major source of revenue for them. They want the tourists to return and send their friends and loved ones to Maasai Mara.
There are around 27 resorts in Maasai Mara, all run by outsiders. But the land is leased and almost all the employees, barring the top ones, are Maasais. The land owner earns the lease money in US dollars. There are seven air strips in Maasai Mara, which is also owned by Maasai land lords. For every landing, he will get USD 5. In a month, there is a minimum of 150 landings in each air strip.
“Maasais call the shots here and they know how to run their industry. They make the rules and control the flow of tourists as well. Nothing can move here without Maasai’s support,’’ says Shailesh.
The Maasai forest area is a total contrast to Indian forests, where government runs everything and the local people get nothing but false promises. While the Maasais are enthusiastic and enterprising, the people living in and around Indian forests looks a frustrated lot.
Maasais do not trade money among themselves. They trade cattle, which is an indicator of their wealth. A rich Maasai may hold up to 1000 cattle, which is grazed inside the national park along with other wild animals. Cattle are also the means of paying dowry. No outsider can graze his cattle in the Maasai Mara national park. This is another contrast when it comes to Indian forests.
As a tradition, Maasais do not eat wild meat. They eat cow, sheep and goat. This is the saving grace for the wildlife and they are able to live together. All the Maasais speak good English. There are five government schools and many private nursery schools inside the national park. The Maasai children go to these schools. The only graduation school is very expensive.
Some of the tourists, who learn about this system donate money or sponsor a student to go for graduation school. But, the Maasai Community Council decides as to which student should get the sponsorship.
All the above facts does not that everything is hunky dory in the Maasai world. A visit to the Maasai village will paint a different picture altogether. Three drums erected with a meter point makes a petrol pump. The village is built with zinc sheets and bars dominate the village, followed by petty shops. Nobody likes outsiders taking photographs, but they don’t mind them doing business here. The youths, who never studied are in and out of bar. They will get their share in the money collected as park entry fee from tourists. They just spend it.
How long will this continue? Already, the global recession is affecting the tourism industry and hard working boys like Moosa and company are a worried lot. In aug-Sep 2007, all the resorts in Maasai Mara were over booked. But the situat
ion this time around is very different.
The Presidential elections in Dec 2007, when the violence broke out in Kishubu and Nyanuki areas, it really hit the industry hard. Maasais also were hit as many were caught in the cross fire and got massacred. For five months, almost all the resorts in Maasai Mara had closed down.
When the business resumed, it was not as usual. Today, the tourist inflow is less than 20 percent of what it used to be. Even Moosa agrees that the number of tourists visiting was going down, and he, being a graduate, understands a bit of global recession. Others are yet to realise that the recession is hitting them slowly.
08-12-2008
Maasai Mara.
It is spread over 1510 sq kms and Maasais are the sole custodians here. The government hardly has any say and the local people manage everything, right from conservation to managing the touri
sm industry. That’s the speciality of this place.Maasa means spotted and Mara is property. An aerial view gives an idea of the landscape – large tracts of Savanna grasslands with small patches of forest tracts. The people who live in this spotted areas are called Maasais and the place they live is their property, including river Mara.
The Maasais are basically warriors and have fought several wars, defending their homeland. The last one they fought was in 1989, when they got absolute right over managing their own provinces – that is Maasai Mara.
The entire land in Maasai Mara is owned by Maasais and the land is not sold. Even if the owner wants to sell his land, the buyer has to be a Maasai. Whoever wants to enter the Maasai Mara national park has to pay USD40 per day of stay. If he is a Kenyan national, it will be cost 17,000 Shillings, equivalent to USD20.
A group of Maasai youths keep a track on the people entering the national park and manage the collection of money. The money is distributed on the spot. While 50 percent of the park entry fee (from USD40) goes to Kayaki provinces, which constitutes half of the national park, the rest goes to the Maasai community. The collection boys get their due share and the rest of the money is distributed equally among the Maasai community.
When you get to know the antecedents of these Maasais and their lifestyle, you may think they are a bunch of duds, but not necessarily. The Maasais are intelligent and they know the business perfect. They are humble, friendly and polite. They take good care of the tourists, who are the major source of revenue for them. They want the tourists to return and send their friends and loved ones to Maasai Mara.
There are around 27 resorts in Maasai Mara, all run by outsiders. But the land is leased and almost all the employees, barring the top ones, are Maasais. The land owner earns the lease money in US dollars. There are seven air strips in Maasai Mara, which is also owned by Maasai land lords. For every landing, he will get USD 5. In a month, there is a minimum of 150 landings in each air strip.
“Maasais call the shots here and they know how to run their industry. They make the rules and control the flow of tourists as well. Nothing can move here without Maasai’s support,’’ says Shailesh.
The Maasai forest area is a total contrast to Indian forests, where government runs everything and the local people get nothing but false promises. While the Maasais are enthusiastic and enterprising, the people living in and around Indian forests looks a frustrated lot.
Maasais do not trade money among themselves. They trade cattle, which is an indicator of their wealth. A rich Maasai may hold up to 1000 cattle, which is grazed inside the national park along with other wild animals. Cattle are also the means of paying dowry. No outsider can graze his cattle in the Maasai Mara national park. This is another contrast when it comes to Indian forests.
As a tradition, Maasais do not eat wild meat. They eat cow, sheep and goat. This is the saving grace for the wildlife and they are able to live together. All the Maasais speak good English. There are five government schools and many private nursery schools inside the national park. The Maasai children go to these schools. The only graduation school is very expensive.
Some of the tourists, who learn about this system donate money or sponsor a student to go for graduation school. But, the Maasai Community Council decides as to which student should get the sponsorship.
All the above facts does not that everything is hunky dory in the Maasai world. A visit to the Maasai village will paint a different picture altogether. Three drums erected with a meter point makes a petrol pump. The village is built with zinc sheets and bars dominate the village, followed by petty shops. Nobody likes outsiders taking photographs, but they don’t mind them doing business here. The youths, who never studied are in and out of bar. They will get their share in the money collected as park entry fee from tourists. They just spend it.
How long will this continue? Already, the global recession is affecting the tourism industry and hard working boys like Moosa and company are a worried lot. In aug-Sep 2007, all the resorts in Maasai Mara were over booked. But the situat
ion this time around is very different.The Presidential elections in Dec 2007, when the violence broke out in Kishubu and Nyanuki areas, it really hit the industry hard. Maasais also were hit as many were caught in the cross fire and got massacred. For five months, almost all the resorts in Maasai Mara had closed down.
When the business resumed, it was not as usual. Today, the tourist inflow is less than 20 percent of what it used to be. Even Moosa agrees that the number of tourists visiting was going down, and he, being a graduate, understands a bit of global recession. Others are yet to realise that the recession is hitting them slowly.
08-12-2008
Maasai Mara.
1 comment:
Very nice picture and an interesting attire of his...
And a cute image at the bottom...
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