About the Maasai and Engaruka
by Rev. Lukas Lekojje

[English translation of audio]

Tanzania a country in East Africa. In Tanzania there are about 124 tribes. The Maasai tribe lives in all three East African countries— Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

By his culture, a Maasai prefers to live in an area where grazing livestock is possible. That's what Maasai love best. Whenever you meet a Maasai, he will talk about cows or goats or sheep. He will ask about milk, meat and other things obtained from the animals.

Specifically, let me now talk about Maasai living in Engaruka. Engaruka is in the Rift Valley in northern Tanzania. It's in the Monduli District of the Arusha Region. It's north of a small town known as Mto wa Mbu, which is a town favored by tourists because it's on the road leading to Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara. Engaruka is on the road leading to the volcano Oldonyo Lengai.

Engaruka is in the middle of several small mountains. To the west are the mountains of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Northwest is Oldonyo Lengai. In front of Oldonyo Lengai there is Kerimasi, which is very close to Engaruka.

To the North is Ngilai. Northeast is mount Ketumbeine. South of Engaruka are three mountains: The Monduli Mountains are in the east, Lepurko is southeast, and in the south there is Losimingori. In between all of these mountains is the place known as Engaruka. The area is divided into the two wards that the parish covers: Selela ward and Engaruka ward. Engaruka has two villages; Engaruka Juu and Engaruka Chini.

Engaruka's soil is sandy. It is the type of soil that isn't suitable for cultivation. It's a type of the soil that goes dry quickly, even after it rains heavily. It can't take five minutes before it's completely dry. But small-scale peasants farmers of Engaruka raise crops such as iripombo lo donyo (black beans), irpayek (maize), irmashungwa (oranges), irmababan (papaya). A good thing about Engaruka's fruits is that they are sweeter than those of other places I tasted.

However, life in Engaruka is tough. In Engaruka there are people of various tribes. There are Maasai, Waarusha, Merus, Sukumas, Chaggas, and many others. But the Maasai are the dominant group. It is an environment of cultural interactions. There are Muslims are now part of the culture, to the extent that a few Maasai are now Muslims.

So people's customs and tradition are always interacting.

Life of Engaruka is difficult, although at the moment there is a little relief because now there roads. The road to Loliondo (a district capital to the north) passes through Engaruka. There is also Ukame road constructed by the help of the late prime minister Moringe Sokoine. It's from Monduli Juu, through Mfereji, then through Noondoto to Engaruka. The road continues to Ngaresero ending in Loliondo.

These roads are very meaningful to people's life in Engaruka. In brief, life of Engaruka is difficult; especially the evangelist's job.

That's a short story about Engaruka and about the Maasai.