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| Can the Maasai survive modernity? Posted: 08 Jul 2013 11:00 PM PDT The semi-nomadic people still roam East Africa, but modern life is taking its toll on their traditions 
I see my first Maasai on the drive from Matema to Iringa in Tanzania. Bedecked in the blood red robes synonymous with the tribe, he's hard to miss as he ambles along the road, seemingly oblivious to the traffic flashing past. Then we're past him, he's a dot in the rearview mirror, but after two months on the road in Africa I at last have a first sighting of a renowned Maasai warrior. At least, I think he's the first. As I'll eventually discover, land politics and industrialization are forcing many Maasai into the cities, to work as security guards, construction workers and hawkers, abandoning their traditional livelihoods as modernity comes to East Africa. Perhaps my cab driver from the airport was a Maasai, too? Maasai tribe's 'last stand' to keep land from game hunters My trip, and a surreal chat around a campfire with three warriors, telling tales of lion killings and other glories while throwing back local beers, sheds light on the plight of their people. Difficult historyIn the 1800s, the semi-nomadic Maasai warrior tribe dominated much of the Great Rift Valley. The Maasai's formidable presence was checked toward the end of the century by an outbreak of rinderpest, an infectious viral disease that decimated their cattle herds and led to widespread starvation.
Thereafter, aggressive British colonization resulted in the Maasai losing more than 50% of their land, forcing them to farm the region's less fertile scrublands. Two and a half centuries later, roughly 500,000 Maasai, many of whom still abide by the tribe's wanderlust traditions, roam back and forth over the Tanzania-Kenya border, despite government efforts to stop them. But even this tradition is starting to change, as I find out while sharing beers with three Maasai men.
I stop for the night at Baobab Valley Camp (+255 686 12132) at the foot of the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania. I meet Will, a sad-eyed Englishman, and co-proprietor of the campsite, enjoying a nightcap by the communal campfire. Maasai now campsite guardsAfter sharing the story of my Maasai-spotting experience earlier that day, Will's face cracks into a smile and he nods across the fire. Three Maasai warriors stare back at me through the flames. They're dressed in traditional attire, armed with killing sticks (small clubs carved from the knot of a tree) and slender, sharp spears.
They don't speak English, but Will translates: these three, like many of Tanzania's Maasai, have lost their herds and traditional grazing grounds to corporate farms. They now work as security guards at the Baobab Valley Camp, where they receive a small salary and free reign of the camp's extensive grounds. They're full of stories, such as, when the topic of conversation turns to their weaponry, how to kill a lion. Each of them, at the age of 15, had been required to kill a lion as part of a traditional Maasai coming-of-age ritual. Under the guidance of their chief, boys will track a lion and surround it. The chief then chooses one of the boys to step forward to make the kill.
"Right. But how do you actually kill a lion?" I ask. "You hold a stick that is sharp at both ends," Will translates. "Then wrap cloth around your hand. Then you put your hand into the lion's mouth. It will bite down on the stick. Then you kill the lion with the spear. It's very easy." Ah, yes. Of course it is. This initiation ceremony has been outlawed by the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments, and so remains a remnant of a bygone Africa. City workMaasai people can be found everywhere in Africa. During my travels I meet Maasai police officers, Maasai construction workers and Maasai salesemen hawking merchandise on the beach -- though how authentic these "Maasai" are it's hard to say; they wear sunglasses and Stetsons. At one point I give a Maasai called "John" a lift through Amboseli National Park.
Another explains how the Maasai are adapting to modern Africa. "It's been difficult," says Lmeei Lekashira ("Ole" to his friends), an affable Maasai who I meet at the stunning Solio Lodge on the Solio Reserve, tucked between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains. "The Maasai people want to remain nomadic and many are still dependent on their livestock, which means they are required to move to new pastures," Lekashira continues. He explains how a Kenyan law giving equal rights to women, while imperative in many Western cultures, has had an adverse impact on Maasai society. "Maasai want their children to be educated and so the families and children remain behind to attend schools," he says, explaining the greater need for education in a modern Kenya. "This can cause a divide in families," because it upsets the traditional semi-nomadic roles of Maasai women and men. For more information about Maasai people and culture, see the Maasai Association, a non-profit organization based in Kenya. Tags:      |
| The best Singapore boat charters Posted: 08 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT Singapore's waters aren't just for tankers. Yacht cruises and island hopping are all part of the sailing scene  Singapore is one of the busiest container ports in the world. With so many mega-vessels cruising through the Singapore Straits, sailing excursions out of the city may seem an unlikely diversion. Not so. The presence of two major marinas -– One°15 Marina and Marina at Keppel Bay -– and various sailing clubs make finding a Singapore boat charter a breeze. Local operators run party boats, motor cruisers, sailing vessels and super yachts to plenty of destinations in the region. Before you book, experts say it's key to pay close attention to the small print. "My advice is never book a yacht that has advertised their services through daily deals sites," says Jayden Ng, head of sales at Marine Bookings, the largest yacht charter management firm in Singapore. "What happens on a trip like that is that you get a transfer instead of a charter, and the experience just isn't there." One of the most popular Singapore boat charter options available with Marine Bookings is a four-hour cruise, which starts from SG$800 ($630) for up to 10 guests. Marine Bookings can customize the marine experience to include local fish farm ("keeling") visits, or organize add-on water activities such as wind surfing, wake boarding and inflatable rides. Here are other boating options available out of Singapore. Two-hour sunset cruise
There's a 12-guest minimum, starting from SG$160 ($125) per head. The sunset cruises revolve around city lights and harbor views, plus you get to see the Sentosa Island Sounds of the Sea fireworks from the water. Private parties of 18 can charter a catamaran from Lloyd for two hours for SG$970 ($761), exclusive of food and drink, which is catered through the same company. More on CNN: How to live like a millionaire in Singapore Half-day cruise
"A majority of our cruises are four hours long and this can range from SG$950 to SG$1,200 ($748 to $945) for 10 to 20 guests on board a luxury catamaran, which is about SG$60 to SG$95 per person," says Steven Weeks, owner of Lifestyle Adventures Asia. The Southern Islands are a good place to start. Kusu, Lazarus, St. John's and Two Sisters' Islands are all nearby, just a few kilometers from Sentosa. Yachties can swim in lagoons, stroll on beaches and kayak straight from the yacht. Kusu (aka Tortoise Island) is home to Malay religious shrines plus a Chinese temple, Da Bo Gong, where guests can pray for health, wealth and other good stuff. For a more zen-like sail, you can head the other way. A circumnavigation cruise around Pulau Ubin just off the northwest coast of Singapore takes four hours. Derek Mazzone, owner and skipper of Yacht Ventures, suggests a sail through the mangroves between Pulau Ketam and Pulau Ubin. A half-day charter on his two-masted ketch comes at a flat fee of SG$400 ($313), plus SG$20 ($16) per person. If you don't mind having your ear bent for a bit, ask the captain about Martin Heidegger's essay on motor boating versus sailing. Day cruise
If you're traveling in a group, Yacht Long Ranger offers day trips for up to 37 guests aboard a 90-foot trimaran. "Within Singapore waters, she's the most apt party boat, suitable for people who want to have fun," says Kiran Sujanani, head of operations. In this case, fun comes in the form of "boom netting" in the sheltered waters off St. John's (you're dragged along the water in a net, not unlike being in a Jacuzzi in the high seas), kayaking in the bay off Lazarus, lounging on the beach and enjoying a sunset barbecue. After dinner, tables are cleared to make way for a dance floor, where you can dance to your own iPod playlist piped through the on-deck sound system. A full day (11 a.m. to midnight) on Yacht Long Ranger will set you back from SG$5,250 ($4,119), exclusive of food and drinks. Weekend cruise
Yacht Ventures offers an overnight sail to Sebana Cove in Johor, Malaysia. The trip leaves Singapore's Changi Sailing Club at 10 a.m. and returns at 6 p.m. the following day. The cost, including berthing and immigration but excluding accommodation (either on the boat or onshore) and food, is SG$1,400 ($1,098) plus SG$40 ($31) per person with a max of 10 guests. Another popular itinerary is a voyage to Indonesia's Riau archipelago. Aqua Voyage offers an overnight trip to Nongsa (Batam island) and Lagoi Bay (Bintan island), embarking from One°15 Marina at 10 a.m., returning at 6 p.m. the following day. The first day is mainly spent cruising. Day two includes time for snorkeling, fishing and beach activities in Lagoi Bay. The package costs SG$9,800+ ($7,712+) for a maximum of six guests, including a night on the boat. Lunch and dinner on day one at Nongsa Point Marina or Montigo Resorts are included in the rates, as is breakfast and light lunch on day two, served aboard the yacht. The price also includes all the beer and soft beverages you can consume, light snacks, fishing equipment and onboard water sports facilities, plus two butlers who are on hand for the duration of the voyage. Extended weekend cruise
After Bali, Bintan is probably the best-known resort island in Indonesia and easily reachable from Singapore. Lloyd Marine offers a two-night itinerary to the island that departs at 9 a.m. on day one, returning to Singapore at 9 p.m. on day three. After dropping anchor, guests enjoy water sports or head ashore for spa treatments and golf before returning for a sunset barbecue onboard or hitting up one of the island's restaurants. The cost is SG$6,900 ($5,430) for up to eight guests, excluding food and drink, mooring costs and visas on arrival, if needed. Aqua Voyage also offers a three-day/two-night itinerary combining Nongsa and Nikoi for SG$16,000+ ($12,591+) for six guests, inclusive of all meals, unlimited beer and usage of onboard amenities. A similar trip to Tioman is priced at SG$20,000+ ($15,739+), inclusive of all but the final dinner. More on CNN: 10 outrageous yachts for hire Adventure weekend cruise
This can be crammed into an overnighter, but Kiran suggests three days to allow time to enjoy the island (it's a 12-hour trip one way). In addition to kayaking, snorkeling, lazing on the beach and boom netting, guests can hike up a 34-meter rock for views of the Malaysian mainland and surrounding islands. Abseiling is also possible, with slopes of varying degrees, ranging from novice to overhang. The average 24-hour overnight charter is SG$5,950 ($4,682) for up to 18 guests, excluding meals. More on CNN: Island hopping around Singapore Singapore boat charters    |
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