MAASAI BEADWORK

ABOUT THE MAASAI BEADWORK

The Maasai people of Kenya are well known for their traditional handmade beaded jewellery – it has been an important part of Maasai culture for many years. Almost daily Maasai women set aside time to work on beaded jewellery like colourful necklaces, bracelets, and pendants. It is considered the duty of every Maasai woman to learn the jewellery making craft. Traditionally the beadwork is made by women but is worn by both sexes, and has important cultural significance. The beadwork an individual wears reflects their age and social status.

All this jewellery is made with the best quality Czech beads. We sell a series of traditional beadwork and alongside we the get the help of creative volunteers from the fashion industry to come up with fashionable competitive designs.

ABOUT THE LADIES

The members of Osotwa and Misharinyi live in a two small manyatta (homesteads) next to the Mombasa highway, which are about 10 km apart from each other. Both of them are small Maasai communities that have settled on governmental road reserve land. Life on the side of the highway is harsh; the climate is very dry and the communities are squeezed between an extremely busy and dangerous road full of lorries, and the Tsavo East National Park.

Osotwa Women’s Group consists of 12 members.  The members are of the same manyatta and are mostly related. The name Osotwa refers to one of the two pillars of Maasai society. The Maasai code of conduct is based on two important traditionally defined norms namely osotwa (brotherly love, kinship relations) and enkanyit (respect).

Misharinyi Women’s Group has 21 members, all living in the Myisharini location.