Our deluxe village visit package included goat roasting, which Maasai LOVED to do. We ate goat in Kenya on multiple occasions and we found meat very tough, almost unchewable and not worth the trouble. It was only cooked well once for us by a Muslim woman in a form of stew.
All of the Maasai’s needs for food are met by their cattle. They eat the meat, drink the milk and, on occasion, drink the blood. Bulls, oxen and lambs are slaughtered for meat on special occasions and for ceremonies. The by-products of the animals – skin and hides – are used as bedding while cow dung is used for building (it is smeared on the walls). The Maasai’s entire way of life truly revolves around their cattle.
Livestock such as cattle, goats and sheep are the primary source of income for the Maasai. Livestock serves as a social utility and plays an important role in the Maasai economy. Livestock are traded for other livestock, cash or livestock products such as milk and siege. Individual, families, and clans established close ties through giving or exchange of cattle. “Meishoo iyiook Enkai inkishu o-nkera”- so goes a Maasai prayer. The English translation of this prayer is: “May Creator give us cattle and children. Cattle and children are the most important aspect of the Maasai people. The Maasai economy is increasingly dependent on the market economy. Livestock products are sold to other groups in Kenya for the purchase of beads, clothing and grains. Cows and goats are also sold for uniform and school fees for children. It is now common to see young Maasai men and women in major towns and cities of Kenya selling, not just goats and cows, but also beads, cell phones, charcoal, grain among other items. The entrepreneurial spirit is something new in this society.
