Upward Spirit XVII (Tanzania, Zanzibar)

A group of young Maasai men gather in Zanzibar, far from their pastoral lands in Arusha, the Serengeti, or Kajiado. Their presence on the island illustrates a relatively recent phenomenon: for the past thirty years, many moran (warriors undergoing initiation) have temporarily left their villages to work as guards, jewelry sellers, or tourist guides. This move is both economic and identity-based: while adapting to a new context, they maintain their cultural markers—red shúkà, beaded necklaces, walking sticks—that affirm their belonging to Maasai society. The wearing of rubber sandals cut from used tires, seen here, is a symbol of ingenuity widely found in the community.

Gathering in a circle or semicircle, even informally, is not trivial: it is a traditional way of maintaining social cohesion, with words circulating from person to person, strengthening community bonds.

The Maa language, spoken by approximately 1.5 million people between Kenya and Tanzania, is an Eastern Nilotic language. It is characterized by great precision in describing livestock, nature, colors, and social relationships. However, many modern concepts do not exist in their own right: they are often borrowed from Swahili or English. This lexical economy is not a sign of linguistic "poverty" but a reflection of a pastoral culture focused on the essentials: livestock, land, rain, rituals, and kinship ties.