Maasai Olympics breathes its first

By Thorn Muli

The Maasai Olympics are a cocktail of blood, dust, red ochre, sweat and tears, all packed in one event; the first of its kind. As the year drew to a close, hundreds of Morans (Maasai warrior class) congregated at Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary for the inaugural sporting event consisting of five track and field competitions based on traditional warrior skills. Drawn from four manyattas of Kuku, Mbirikani, Olgulului and Rombo, the Morans would face off in the 200 metres sprint, 5,000 metres run, spear and rungu throwing, as well as in high jump.

Loitoktok is a rather warm town considering the fact that it is placed at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro. The recent rains have been good with a lush green donning what normally is scorched savannah plain. Also cleared is dust that would hinder the view of Kilimanjaro’s highest Kibo summit.

The journey to Loitoktok, the town that borders Tanzania, was easier than I had anticipated. A day’s journey, more if your car broke down, is what it used to be before the recent paving of the road from Email town reduced it to less than a four hours drive.

The mountain’s poise, however, would have to be savoured another time as we set off for Kimana Sanctuary situated some 30 kilometres east of the Amboseli and about 30 minutes drive from Loitoktok town.

As luck would have it, I would be roving out with among others retired 800 metres great, coach Stephen ole Marai, who was emphatic on the wealth of untapped talent Maasai land possesses.

As the gentle fog cleared, his words rang true as we came upon groups of agile seeming young men, gathered under groves of acacia in the backdrop of a cleared and white charcoal marked field preparing for the activities that lay ahead. In turns, sips of fresh cow blood and morale rousing herb concoctions accompanied the rubbing of red ochre onto their faces and neatly braided hair. I must say the Moran youth cut impressive figures in their red traditional shukas and intricate beadwork — the fearsomeness of their forefathers renowned for their warrior exploits evident in their piercing eyes. In days gone by, this warrior class that comes into being once every 12 to 15 years was charged with defending the community against invasion even as cattle rustling remained their core business.

Acts of valour

The pressure among the ranks to prove one’s manhood ensured acts of valour in war were to die for. In the absence of war, however, a similar challenge was sought. The jungle provided this thrill as the Moran slunk into the bushes, returning only after taking down worthy trophy, lions being the chief target. A lion’s tail for a fly whisk not only meant a higher standing among peers but also an easy time with the beauties back home.

This was in an age when the lion population was steady and the culturally accepted activity served to balance the eco-system. Those days are no more. Dwindling numbers mean that every feline lost inches the species closer to extinction, a situation tourism dependent Kenya cannot afford.

This is a fact the menye laiyok, a carefully selected group of Maasai elders in the Amboseli-Tsavo eco-system have come to terms with. These elders are chosen as the ‘cultural fathers’ of the present Il tuati warrior class whose number is at least 4,000. In the place of lion killing, the cultural fathers have a shared vision to secure their way of life through conservation and education aimed at their warrior youth.

Ready for action, the Moran gathered in the field with their distinct hums and shrieks slicing the air. This turned into frenzy when word went out that the day’s guest of honour, 800 Olympic champion David Rudisha had arrived.

The vehicle that ferried him from the nearby airstrip was mobbed by the visibly elated youth whose eyes gave away the admiration they felt for the record holder. Honourable Judah ole Metito’s arrival was greeted in similar fashion. Gracing the event as well was Billy Konchellah, former 800 metres champion and retired sprinter Ruth Waithera who still holds of the women’s 400 metres Kenyan record. After the excitement calmed and prayers said, the games that served as finals to six run-up regional track and field competitions in the five events began in earnest.

Two hundred metres heats gave way to the javelin and rungu throwing events. As the games picked pace, my eyes were, for the first time, opened to the magnitude of the event as villagers walked in from across the plains as others disembarked from every possible means of transport.

The gathered crowd shared in the contestant’s apprehension, cheering them. The rungu event, in my view, held zing. A sack nailed onto a tyre akin to a windsock propped by a wooden stand, served as the target to a throwing skill peculiar to the Maasai. A bulls eye throw right into the sack scored three points, while a hit on the sides scored two. A hit on the target’s fork where the stand and tyre meet earned one point with a miss earning nought.

Amos Kipaya from the Mbirikani manyatta emerged victorious with the best score. The 5,000 metres run also proved interesting telling by the audience’s reaction. Running in the savannah sun can be quite the chore and the resident doctor had his hands full tending to burnt out runners, whose feet gave way on the track.

Progressive thought

In amazing stamina, Rombo’s Jacob Parmuyu trounced his competitors with a wide margin. Showing how the community has embraced progressive thought was the inclusion of girls in what would otherwise be a male-dominated event. They competed with feminine grace in the 1,500 metres and 200 metres races to the crowd’s delight.

The climax of the day was what the Maasai are known world over for — jumping. A string between two marked poles let the true essence of the Maasai community known. In succession, the contestants surpassed the seven-foot mark and just as fast man eliminated when they got to the 8.5 feet mark. Only three would make it to the 8.8 feet mark with Rombo’s Kisham Lemoiyan edging out assault from the other two when he beat the 8.9 mark.

Repeated attempts to break the tie between the remaining two jumpers made for good drama. After all failed, it was decided that first runners-up position be shared among the two, which they did literally, jostling on the number two spot on the podium humouring the crowd. 

Medals and significant monetary rewards were awarded to all winners with Parmuyu being the biggest beneficiary securing a Sh1.2 million sponsorship to attend New York marathon. Rudisha buttered the deal after he adopted the runner pledging to cater for his fees in one of the leading professional training camps in Kenya.

Sprinter Waithera also adopted two girls now bound for a Nyahururu High Altitude Training Camp. The day’s purpose was realised when Rombo group ranch were crowned the best overall manyatta in the event, but more because of the fact that despite receiving the least revenue from wildlife, they ensured no lion died on their watch.  It helped that they were the best at tracking poachers and for their trouble; they were awarded a trophy, breeding bull and Sh250,000.

As the greying day and skies forced the crowd to disperse, I noticed a glint in Joy Smith’s eye, the founding benefactor of the Maasai Olympics, content that her baby had breathed its first.