Meet the Maasai Tribes of East Africa in Kenya and Tanzania. The Maasai revere their cattle and for this reason, the letting of blood causes no lasting harm to their bovine companions. It is curious because while they drink cowвЂ™s blood, often mixed with milk, they are opposed to eating wild animals, and the consumption of beef is reserved for special occasions only. ThatвЂ™s right, the Maasai are hematophagous, meaning that they drink blood for nourishment. Spitting is one thing, drinking blood completely another. When shaking the hand of an elder, it is important to spit in one's palm, and to ward off evil spirits, one must spit onto a new-born baby's head. While in western traditions saliva is a strictly private and personal matter, in Maasai culture and tradition it is considered extremely good luck to be shared. Together, these vibrant African clothes, are what make the Maasai so distinctive in East Africa.

Green is nourishment and production and yellow is for fertility and growth. Orange is for hospitality, warmth, and friendship, blue is for the sky which provides the rains for the cattle. In addition to these qualities, it also protects the Maasai from wild animals. Red is considered to be a sacred color and represents blood and is the basic color for all shuka. The vibrant colored cloth worn by the Maasai is known as shuka. He who jumps the highest attracts the best bride. The ritual is performed to show prowess and fitness and it forms a part of the celebration when the boys become eligible bachelors. Accompanied by song, pairs of men take turns to see who can jump the highest. The Adamu is the jumping dance that is performed as part of the initiation right when young adults become men. The savannah land that makes up the famous parks of Ngorongoro, Amboseli, Serengeti, the Masai Mara, and Tsavo was all once the nomadic range of the Maasai people.Дespite the pressures of the modern world, the Maasai have fought to preserve their way of life and as a result, any east African safari is awash with the sight of colorful Maasai, herding their cattle, walking along roads, or dancing the adumu.ДЄmongst the most famous Maasai traditions are the jumping dance, the wearing of colorful shuka, spitting, and the drinking of blood. Since that time, cattle have been viewed as sacred and their value is rivaled only by the value of their children, indeed, a large herd and a large family are the marks of a truly successful Maasai. Maasinta, the first Maasai, received a gift of cattle from Ngai вЂ“ the sky god - who lowered them to earth on a leather thong. Maasai driving cattle into the ngorongoro crater They are renowned warriors and pastoralists who for hundreds of years roamed the wild of East Africa. The red-clad Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania is synonymous with the Great Plains and savannahs of Africa.

Savannahs, lions, safari vehicles, and a red-robed Maasai, standing elegant and slender against the infinite horizonвЂ¦

Bushman, San or Khoisan, of Southern Africa.

Maasai tribal women 6 African Tribes with Traditional African Cultures IвЂ™ve picked out 6 of my favoriteВ African tribes to showcase AfricaвЂ™s fascinating tribal traditions and the vibrant cultures of Africa. Perhaps South Africa best reflects this diversity through its constitution with all 11 official languages recognized by law. Now, while it is easy to homogenize and talk about вЂAfrican peopleвЂ™, the truth is that within these 54 separate and unique countries, there are in fact over 3000 diverse African tribes! That translates to over 1.2 billion people. Africa is aboutВ 11.7 million miВІВ (30.37 millionВ kmВІ) in size! This means the US isВ 32.4% the size of Africa, and the UK is onlyВ 0.8% of the size.ДЄfrica has over 50 independent countries and accounts for about 16% of the worldвЂ™s population. It isВ the world's second-largest continent and the only continent that spans bothВ northern and southern hemispheres. Find out more aboutВ the most fascinating African tribes and traditional African cultures in thisВ post, along withВ recommended cultural tours in Africa.Д¬olonized and pillaged for more than 300 years, Africa is a rich and diverse place. (Largely because Africa is such a massive place). African culture, with its intriguing tribesВ and traditions, is a wildlyВ diverse subject.

African tribal body paint