Masai Women—The Masai of Kenya

(60 min.) 1974 [1994].

Directed and Produced by Chris Curling

Granada Television Int’l

The Masai are animal herders in the East African Rift Valley of Kenya and Tanzania. They are proud of not growing crops and devote themselves to their cattle. But only the men have rights to these cattle, and women are wholly dependent. “A barren woman is something bad to the Masai,” explains Nolpiyaya, wife of a Masai elder. “There’s nothing she can do. She looks after her husband’s animals, but when he dies, she’ll be mistreated. The sons of his other wives will tell her to go away so they can take her cows. . . she has no position. With the astonishingly candid Nolpiyaya as a guide, Masai Women explores what it means to be a woman—from childhood, to taunted, weeping new bride, to old age—in this completely male dominated society.