THE TRIBES...THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'!

Kenya-settled Nilotic semi-nomadic tribes, the Maasais and the Samburus, are slowly opening their doors to the modern world while remaining staunchly loyal to their own culture and traditions

- Ananya Ghosh

It was early in the morning, and the last day of my stay at Maasai Mara. Daniel Ole Soit, our driver and guide, was a man on a mission. We have not yet spotted the 5th and the most elusive of the Big Five, the rhino. And he has taken it as a personal failure! Yesterday, he had welcomed me with a gorgeous sighting of another elusive inhabitant on the Maara, the leopard.

Being a Maasai and having grown up here, Daniel knows these sprawling savanna and its inhabitants better than the back of his hand and has ancestral knowledge of tracking animals. He is almost like a human Google map here.

"Most of the guides in the game drive (Game drives are the most popular way to explore the African savannas. While there are several types of game drives, most involve traveling in an open-top vehicle) are local Maasai people-they know all the wildlife corridors, they have insights on the animal behaviours, it is like their backyard," informs our 39-year-old Maasai Messiah of sightings! It is heartening to see that in Kenya, unlike in India, the local tribes are employed in such large numbers by the tourist resorts in the area.

Not only does this add to building a sustainable infrastructure but also the knowledge and craftsmanship of the tribal population benefits these resorts greatly. "The relationship between Sarova Hotels and the local communities began in 1984 with the inception of Sarova Mara. The Maasai community's presence at the resort is truly irreplaceable. Their deep ties to the land, and wildlife, and extensive knowledge of topography, fauna, flora, and conservation efforts are truly remarkable and inspire awe.

They have tracked and observed wildlife since childhood and hence the Maasai driver-guides make safaris an absolute dream with their expertise, sharp eyes, and depth of knowledge," says Mita Vora, Director, Sarova Hotels and Resorts, Kenya.

The Smooth Operator