Page 44 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 35
P. 44
History
a new history book was introduced, we would tribe in East Africa. Even then, I did not
chuckle among ourselves, wondering how soon have a clear concept of what East Africa
we could finish reading it based on its size. meant in relation to Africa as a continent.
Some of those books were truly intimidating, But I knew Africa had a strong history, and
but we loved them all the same. that felt good back then.
In hindsight, even though I loved reading Now, here I am in East Africa, living in
history books back then, I am not entirely Kenya, in some of the areas that the Maasai
sure I understood what I was reading in the call home. Yet, I no longer feel the same
context of how it affected Africa and Africans. awe I had for them during my school days.
Here is what I mean: My friends and I were
excited about history, but we read about Africa I cannot explain exactly why, but I believe
in those books as if it were a distant land, it has to do with the commercialization of
disconnected from us. It was as though we the Maasai tribe. You may not agree with
were not the Africans we were reading about. I me, and that’s fine. However, I think the
am not sure if my point makes sense, but I did beauty and awe of the Maasai have been
not relate what I was reading to myself as an diminished over time due to the over-
African. Whether it was the teaching method commercialization of their culture. Today,
that created that disconnect or just my lack most of what we see is Maasai warriors
of awareness about what I should have been advertising “Magical Kenya” products to
looking for in those history books remains attract European tourists. We also see them
unclear. However, reading those books still working as security guards in residential
made sense at the time. homes, selling cultural accessories on the
streets, in shopping malls, or at tourist sites.
One of our favorite stories was about the They have essentially been “reduced” to
Kanem-Bornu Empire in present-day Nigeria. Kenya’s tourism public relations officers
We particularly enjoyed reading about this and advertising agents. If you know what
African empire because we loved the way I mean. I may not have the full story, but
its name sounded. It made us laugh, and we I believe what is happening to the Maasai
admired the characters in the stories, especially tribe is unfair.
those who rode horses like the Knight
Templars we used to see in movies. Human History Found in African History
Many people still think Africa had
It was in one of those history classes that I first no history. However, historical and
heard about the Maasai of East Africa. From archaeological studies have proven that
the way the Maasai were described in those Africa has a richer and greater history than
books, I admired them from afar, even though ancient historians would have us believe.
I could not tell you then which country they
lived in. I just knew they were a great warrior
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