Abstract: Abstract Traditional pastoralism in East Africa popularly conveys a leisurely way of life that contrasts with the spirit of enterprise shown by more progressive settled peoples such as the Kikuyu. This contrast is well illustrated in early accounts of trading between the pastoral Maasai and their agricultural neighbours. The Maasai benefited from this trade, but their men especially displayed a self-contained pastoralist life style and despised others who tilled the ground and traded their products. The actual trading was conducted between Maasai woman and visiting traders, and when these traders were men, this confirmed the visitors’ lack of self-esteem in Maasai eyes. Trading caravans risked being harassed by Maasai warriors (moran), who tended to dominate neighbouring agricultural peoples. Nevertheless, care was taken not to disrupt the trading itself, and the more persistent raids were directed against semi-pastoral peoples with cattle and no mutual trading arrangements. While Maasai men engaged in male activities, the women were protected by custom and continued to trade for their own domestic purposes, notably for grain to tide their families over the hunger of the dry season, and notably with neighbours that shared an uneasy peace with the Maasai.
Publication Year: 1998
Publication Date: 1998-01-29
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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