During the summer of 2010 I went to Uganda and Kenya on a mission trip and had the PLEASURE of teaching school to over 400 students. We spent most of our time in Uganda. The people we were with look pretty much just like you and me and dress just like you and me. Then, we went to Kenya. We were able to do some “tourist” types of things in Kenya including going on several safaris and visiting a Masai village. The Masai are a remarkable people. They have managed to maintain much of their custom in a modernizing world. They are semi-nomadic people and reside in the game parks of East Africa. They are, many times, tri-lingual speaking Maa, Swahili and English. Wow! Amazing! They are known for their bright red clothing, beautiful beaded jewelry, and for being terrific cattlemen. They drive large herds of cattle all over the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. And that drew me to them even more as I grew up a farm girl in western Kansas, driving cattle on my horse with my family. I fell in love with their beautiful beaded jewelry and accessories they make In fact, the whole group was in the Land Rover ready to leave the village and I was still in the area they had set up for us to sell us their beautiful beaded items. I showed my students one of the colorful necklaces I bought there on the first day of school. And, I have eagerly been awaiting the Africa unit all year at school. We are painting and drawing and sculpting so many “sights” from my trip to Africa……many of the gorgeous animals that graze on the Masai Mara plains where I was, but also the beauty of the Masai. They have got fashion design all figured out” And as a former fashion designer before I began teaching theatre and art, I just couldn’t wait to get my student’s paint brushes painting the beautiful Maasai!
