Video Review Quiz: Masai Women

1. What are all the different social roles that a person can be in Masai society? (breakdown by age and gender) and the responsibilities of the various roles?
• Men
i. (0-17) Boy: Herding, play ii. (18-29) Warrior: raid and extend boundaries of their territory, wander around but do not marry, when they go to the village girls do their errands for them iii. (30+) Elder: respectable citizen, can marry and live in elders village, can own cattle, organize elder initiation ritual, compose songs, herd if they have no sons
• Women
i. (0-13 to 15) Girl: do errands for warriors, live carefree life ii. (13 to 15+) Woman: can marry, entitled to pregnancy, build houses, milk cows, can “hold” cattle for her sons when they mature, raise children

2. How do the Masai mark transitions to different life stages for men and women?
• For boys and girls, the circumcision ritual marks the transition from the youth stage of life into the warrior stage and mature woman stage. Boys become warriors who cannot marry but wander around raiding and extending boundaries, while girls fully mature into women who can marry, bear children and have holding rights to cattle. For men, the third elder stage is reached when a warrior reaches approximately the age of 30. After an elder initiation ritual, the warriors become full elders with the entitlements and responsibilities of that class.

3. How are marriages arranged among the Masai? When do men and women marry, and who decides on the appropriate spouse? What other transactions of property must take place to secure a marriage commitment?
• Marriages are arranged by the fathers of the respective bride/groom. Men cannot marry until they are elders, but girls are able to marry once they have been circumcised. This invariably results in age disparities between the young wives and older husbands. In the