Sekou is 10 years old and is part of the Masai ethic group. They can be found in Namibia and Kenya in eastern Africa. Sekou lives there together with his own family and other families in a large community. Sekou and his family live in an enkaji. This is a kind of clay hut. As there are no shops nearby, the Masai raise their own cattle because cows provide both food and milk. Every day, Sekou and his family have to get fresh water from a well. To be able to provide the cattle with water, Sekou and his father take the animals to a swamp with other residents of the village. They can drink there until they have fully quenched their thirst. If they find a drinking point has dried up, Sekou and his family move on until they find an area that has sufficient water. They often encounter dangers on the way as you would expect in the wild. Hungry lions often prowl around the people hoping they will find something to eat. They are targeting Sekou’s family's cattle.
The lion has been accompanying Sekou since he was small. The lion accompanies Sekou’s people and is often seen close to the huts. When Sekou was younger, he once ran away. When he was walking around in the dark, he heard a rustling in the bush. Suddenly, precisely this lion appeared in front of him. Sekou was so frightened he froze and could not move. The lion prowled around Sekou and nudged him. Sekou’s heart was in his mouth! He was extremely lucky that the lion then disappeared again. Then Sekou took to his heels and ran home as fast as he could. Since that night, he has never just walked around at night on his own again.
When Sekou is in his village in the afternoon, he often practises throwing a spear because one day, when he is older, he will have to be able to protect his family against wild animals.
The Masai have several traditional ceremonies and festivals. A lot of these ceremonies are about proving your strength. One of the most well-known ceremonies is the men's jumping dance. The men jump on the spot as high as they can. The rules are clear: the person that jumps the highest is the strongest. Sekou would soon like to take part and prove his strength.
The lion has been accompanying Sekou since he was small. The lion accompanies Sekou’s people and is often seen close to the huts. When Sekou was younger, he once ran away. When he was walking around in the dark, he heard a rustling in the bush. Suddenly, precisely this lion appeared in front of him. Sekou was so frightened he froze and could not move. The lion prowled around Sekou and nudged him. Sekou’s heart was in his mouth! He was extremely lucky that the lion then disappeared again. Then Sekou took to his heels and ran home as fast as he could. Since that night, he has never just walked around at night on his own again.
When Sekou is in his village in the afternoon, he often practises throwing a spear because one day, when he is older, he will have to be able to protect his family against wild animals.
The Masai have several traditional ceremonies and festivals. A lot of these ceremonies are about proving your strength. One of the most well-known ceremonies is the men's jumping dance. The men jump on the spot as high as they can. The rules are clear: the person that jumps the highest is the strongest. Sekou would soon like to take part and prove his strength.
