Masai Warriors – “God’s Chosen People”
This is a Jewish story of Africa that I found in the most unlikely of places: the vast plains of Masai Mara and Serengeti reserves. As we drove there, we saw the light-skinned, tall, slender people dressed in red, who were as ubiquitous to the landscape as sky above and earth below. Surrounded by their herd of cattle, they leaned on their long spears or stood on one leg in a stork-like pose. Bearing remarkable similarities to ancient Romans from North Africa, most had classical profiles, wore red togas and sandals, and were equipped with Roman-style short stabbing swords. Women had shaved heads, while the young men’s hair was plated and stuck together with red clay. To us, they looked like young mythical gods. These are the proud Masai (sometimes referred to as Maasai) people of East Africa, whose mysterious past is enveloped in legends of being one of the lost tribes of Israel.
When the Europeans brought the railroad to Nairobi, the Masai were the only human inhabitants there, coming and going as they pleased with their cattle. Nomadic and highly suspicious to any strangers passing through their land, the Masai were never fond of the Europeans. In 1904, M. Merker, a German official-turned scientist stationed in Tanganyika learned the Maa language of the Masai, earned their trust (or thought he did), and collected the legends the Masai cared to share. In these legends of origin, the Masai, according to Merker, maintained that their ancestors were slaves in the land of the Nile and escaped through a parted sea, pursued by a vicious ruler. Long before arrival of missionaries, Merker stated, the Masai knew the tales of Adam and Eve, and of Noah and the Great Flood, though under different names.
“I regard the Masai as being descended from the nomadic Semites to whom the oldest Hebrew pastoralist belong,” pronounced Merker in his study. Lord Churchill called Merker’s Dei Masai “the most truly inspired investigation that ever an African people has had.” Merker’s study was well-known to the British Colonial Secretary Sir Joseph Chamberlain, who in the early 1900s suggested to Theodore Herzl, the leader of the Zionist movement, that parts of “Masailand” could be handed over to persecuted Eastern European Jews. In the following hundred years, most researchers concluded that Masai have Nilotic (from the river Nile) rather than Semitic origins, but Merker’s theory of Masai as “one the lost ten tribes of Israel” stubbornly continues to float in popular imagination.
We arranged to go to a Masai village to meet them. They greeted us with singing and dancing, dressed in their best. Unlike other African tribes, the Masai refuse to modernize; they will not drive cars or wear western clothes. A couple of young men spoke enough English to communicate with us. When asked about their beliefs, they explained that the Masai believe in one God who they call Engai. Engai, they say, has two faces: the first face is a black color, kind and benevolent, bringing thunder and rain, grass for the cattle, and good life for the Masai; the second face is red and fearsome, bringing lighting and drought, famine and death. Engai made the Masai his chosen people and gave them the land of Africa.
The word “Masai” is synonymous with “cattle,” these young people said. They translated a traditional greeting: “How are your wives and children and how is your cattle?” To own one without the other means being poor; to have an abundance of both is to be rich. Cattle do not just give meaning to Masai life, they are life.
As we went around the village, we were told of the traditions curiously resembling those of the Jews: Masai would never eat meat the same day they drank milk; they consider that to be highly unhealthy to both people and cattle whose milk was drank. More important is their firm belief that the milk of the living animal should not be drunk in the village at the same time as the meat of the same animal is eaten.
The Masai do not have chiefs. Instead, their lives are governed by the collective of elders chosen for their wisdom and moral qualities. Their assembly is called Sanhedrin and the round hut where they get together is called a Tabernacle. When a highly respected elder dies, he is buried in the ground facing east. Every passer-by places a stone on the grave as a sign of respect, and after a while a small hill appears on the landscape.
All the Masai wear bright jewelry with colors symbolizing the Masai universe: red stands for blood of a slaughtered animal; white means milk that sustains the Masai; orange stands for milk mixed with blood, a drink that the Masai like and believe to provide strength and nourishment; green is the grass that feeds their cattle; and the blue is the sky above the Masai land given by Engai to his chosen people.
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Thank you for your extensive research.
Am interesting in the exile and gathering of our people from over the globe.
From Alaska to Chile
From Russia to South Africa
From China to California.
I was born and raised in Jamaica.
Egypt was a Great Empire, Just like Rome was or the current USA is. Many kinds of people lived in those empires as riches and mightiness attracted or attracting them towards governing intuitions. I was writing a book with an introduction of the myth of the Maasai being assumed as one of the lost tribes of Israel, when a Rwandese Hutu read it. He commented that all Nilotic people claim to be one of the lost tribes of Israel. And so when I decided to research about those lost tribes, I found a complete different story. The lost 10 tribes have actually been found scattered around the Globe. Their migratory routes have also been documented.
All the ten Israel tribes had known names, like Manase and the like. Some have even gone back like those from Ethiopia. Someone took his time to trace them by their names and actually found them, in northern Africa, Europe and as far as Pakistan. They still keep their faith and traditions although in some corrupted ways. They all swing while reading the Kora. Each one of them also know who they are by their clan name.
The verse in the Bible is evidence enough that the Maasai are Jews, but not Isreal. I don’t think the Maasai are Levites because the researcher found the Levites. The question is, why did Moses commanded them to get detached from the rest and go south? Did they sin against God or what? Was the detachment a curse or a blessing? And if it was a curse, certainly drinking blood could have been one of the causes.
Again, the Maasai spend thousands of years travelling South before settling in the East African region. Like the Israelites, they had horrible sibling and clan rivalry that made them disseminate each other and assimilate people from other tribes. They still do the same to date. The assimilated persons are the current Maasai. We might find the Northern Kenya and Southern Tanzania Maasai showing some kind of homogeneity, as evidenced by their DNA composition, but not those of Kajiado and Narok. Those are extremely heterogeneous, which makes them an Ethnic group rather than a tribe because they are not related by blood.
But give and take, even today there are many questions with the current Israelites. There had been a lot of dilutions over the years. Even so, the name in the bible separates the Maasai from all other tribes claiming to be part of the Israelites. The Luo guy summed it up, by saying the Luo knew many things about the Israelites but they are not Israelites. When I was studying in Kisumu, I noticed how the Luo respected the Maasai, Even the Kalenjin too. They knew who the Maasai were.
There is finally DNA proof of the Lemba Jews in Africa (Jewish priesthood -Cohen modal haplotype). Despite current-day rejection that goes back 100s of years, despite the less than kind treatment of African Jews that make their way to Israel to be placed in camps. Despite the fact that there are African Jews that are practicing some of the most ancient authentic Jewish customs, many European Jews lost. Instead of embracing their brothers, many European Jews have denied the shared brotherhood. The tightly curly-haired pronounced nose Euro-Jewish family writes articles rejecting the notion that the darker skinned curly-haired “Black African Jews”. What saddens me the most is that many in the European Jewish communities present as if it is up to the “Ashkenazi Jews”, not Yahweh, to confirm who is Jewish. My dear brothers and sisters, “who is or is not Jewish” was chosen before you existed. It is not up to you.
I believe 100% there are other unexplored Jewish African ancestors who were Jewish before the scientific study of others and will continue to be Jewish no matter what articles are written.
Unforutnilty, you will find white supremecy everywhere you go in the world. People conveniently forget that Judaism is not a “white European” group but a multi-ethnic family. You can protect history, culture, and way of life without denouncing distant family.
What I know all we originally from NOAH descendants……so any tribe in any nation all we are brethren….
….. lastly JESUS CHRIST came to save all Nationals in the world…..
….I proud for HOLY SPIRIT let’s all of us to obey GOD COMMANDS.
Its no doubt,the Maasai and their brothers Kore(presently,samburus) all from Kenya,are either Jews or were ancestors to Jews.Both mentioned in the bible.So many similaries.As we speak today,the non christianised Samburus are still practising Judaism;they know Torah and quote it in every way,thats what they use to predict events and every season.They are still observing sorrioh eve (the passover feast) they kill male lambs without blemish and smear on their doors plus all other rituals as per torah.Am sure the none christianised Maasais are also observing all these.They are well aversed with the old testament specifically the 5 books of moses.Today,despite of great suffering,they are joyous and highly hopeful that,the day of the Lord,Enkai,is so near for their deliverance.Samburus and the maasais are the only african ethnicities who have and still doing customaries census of all its people(particularly male child) upon graduation to adulthood through ‘ageset Launok’ Am sure they are people with “a special bond with God,Enkai e Pasinai” As their every word and actions depicts.The names such as “Paran,Syria aai,Arus a Salem,meishopoltomia,Ltarakwa le Lebanon,Ldonyo le Pasinaai,Moosiat(could it be associated with mosianic…)and their cultural responsibility in offering sacrifices in our holy mt.Nyiro.I postpone quoting the bible for now.The courage,the level of humility,size of their homeland;samburu,Kajiado…each 21000 units square…What does it symbolise???
Thank-you for this wonderful article. I am trying to connect the Maasai villagers we met who told us they were Jewish, to some American-Jewish groups that do educational, religious and medical outreach to communities of Jews around the world that have been isolated by geography from the mainstream and need assistance.
As Long as the Maasai keep worshiping Idolatry as xanian and worship a fellow Dead Jew Yeshu, it’s a confirmation that are not the Lost tribe the Name “ Maasai” mention in the Tanakh is not necessarily that are the current Maasai, what I know Maasai are almost 300 years old in East Africa, but intensively intermarried with Bantu. And majority are xanianity idols worshipers, something forbidden by the Torah, Yeshu is an Idol and make Maasai as well Idolatrous, yes DNA proof that 51% have Jews DNA, but is that enough to be Jewish? One must keep Shabbat, kosher food and 100% follow the Torah in which 100% Maasai don’t do.
Love the story
When did maasia people migrated to kenya, do they know any about Jesus before they came in Kenya? let the maasai organize and go back to the promise land, they are being waited for.
Even if Maasai were once Hebrew now they are not there a lot of intermarriage with the Bantu, almost all are xanian, and they drink blood something strongly forbidden by the Torah, they are very lazy and none of them even know a single Midrashic, we did intensify reaches and conclude that they might be a few who were Hebrew in particular a clan called Syria who are close resemblance of the Arabs, the rest are currently more Bantu like as more than 50% have kikuyu blood and chagga. Any Jews among the Maasai yes might be but only 1to 3% who might have been lost among the most Primitive society.
the maasai and samburu (korr)are similar and they are in the Bible, they are Israelites from tribe of Levy,the samburu call God Pa Sinai meaning we share mount Sinai and they are named the the guards and singers in the Bible are they are still practicing the same with their knives and Spears and clabs and still brave and their jump as they sing
Nice work, I was very amazed the day I saw the name maasai as among the descendants of Israel, to me I also support that if not that maasai tribe is one of the Israelites lost peaple I guess not as whole tribe then possibly the resemblance is because of some time spent together between the two.
We are the 10 lost tribe of Israel.
well I don’t dispute the idea, but can we give biblical evidence
Interesting article. I come from the east of Zimbabwe, Shona tribe and am interested to know how we came to be there. I have read a while back that the Shona descended from the Bantu– does anyone know if this connects with the Maasai?
Please keep in mind that Hebrew language, religion, and culture was adopted from the Afro-Canaanites who lived in the land before Abraham. African cultures that seem to resemble Jewish culture more likely resemble Afro-Canaanite culture.
All this information are true about the Maasai tribe,they might be speculations about the Maasai tribe to be one of the lost tribes Jew basing arguement on records in the book of 1chroncles 9:12 but before we argue out the origins it would be better to understand the pronounciation of name,meaning and how it is related to the Maasai name in the Bible and as a Levite how are the Maasai tribe related to him for one truth is that Jew named their tribes from the names of their fathers may be the Maasai tribe was named after the Levite Maasai son of Adiel and in his lineage is there any other name that might be seen in the Maasai tribe? Immer is another name in his lineage that can be seen in the name the maasai tribe,there other many similarities to be look at.
I like Arianda’s contributions
Ham and Shem were black only that Ham was much darker, the populations of Africa make up of all the children of Ham and Shem. Abraham had children with keturah, and they came to live close to Ham.
Guys look at book of Babylon to Timbuktu it gives most of information needed
good work
Is there any authentic books about the relation between Masai’s and Israelites ??? If anyone knew please tell the name of the book
I think the maasai are nilo-hamites, they are direct descendants of “ham” from manaseh (muhseen) son of joseph isaac lineage in the bible. Manseh is grandson of pharoah (farwun) and grandson of jacob. The kind of circumcision practice by the maasai is 100% pharoah circumcision.
Truelly maa we the Lost tribe of Isrea.
I bet that there are some similar issues in Biblical old Testament vasion and in Maasai Cultural practices e.g Sacrificing a pure animal without blemish, eating of Meat with bitter herbs, Mount Sinai as Ldonyuo Le Pasinai, Jerusalem as Arus alarm, Nazareth as Neesirat among many.
I’m not a Maasai but a Luo, and I’d like to say this. Being a slave in Egypt for 400 years doesn’t make you an Israelites. Luos too were enslaved together with the Israelites in Egypt and we were a different tribe from Israel. Luos Identify with cush/Kochi/kush and we too knew about noah, including his son(nimrod who we call namruoth) who ruled the entire world and when the Israelites fled from Egypt we too were set free by pharaoh and moved down the Nile. We knew Moses and we adopted some of the Israeli culture when our people died too much. We aren’t Israelites but we had interaction with Israelites in Egypt
Beautiful article by the way but I think what really matters is if your name is in the book of life.
I never read or heard from a bible or bible scholars about the lost tribe of Israel, honestly this is the first time to read it from this researcher that the masai is the lost tribe of israel. israel is the new name was given to jacob when he was moving from his uncles house to his own land, when he wrestled with the angel won then the angel said to him his name was no longer jacob but israel, from israel we are told twelve sons were born which are the tribes of israel, there is no records that one of this tribe was lost, that is masai in east africa accoding to researcher. i advice you Mr reseacher or researchers to reseach more on your topic.
let remind you about the Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet.
Ham is the ancestor of all black race and jews are from shem so relationship between masai and jews are from Noah
Shockingly enlightening and confirming my belief that Israel is the whole world! Maasai the Son of Adiel was an Israelite as recorded in the Book of Chronicles!
I think we as “Maa” need more clarification that deeper more explanation for the real source of Maasai and Biblical proofs whenever Its very important to describe this myths in a detailed form and based more on proofs. we need to research and build on the existing literature about the maasai people.
Y-DNA E1B1B Maasai. Enkai was actually Enki. The Sumerian God. Enki (/ˈɛŋki/; Sumerian:EN.KI(G)??) is the Sumerian god of water, knowledge (gestú), mischief, crafts (gašam), and creation (nudimmud). He was later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology.
Truly massai’s apears the lost triebe of israel coz all ceremonies are remembrens of biblical stories.
Maasai are truely of middle east orign and they like giving names to every place they pass you can see Misiri,Sudan ,Ethiopia,khatumu all are related to maasai Godly tribe.
Even in the bibble that are mentioned as descendants of 12tribes.
Masai sword is typical to the one mentioned in the book of judges.
What makes me believe maasai are among the lost tribe of Israel, availability of what is believed to be the skull of first human being in maasai land in Olduvai gorge in Tanzania,may be 5This land might have biblical connection back to Adam & eve after being removed from eden garden by GOD
Maasai people use not to touch a dead body in which i link them to the cohen line who were not allowed to touch a dead body.
We are maa and not israelites What’s so special about being a jew? Be maa and proud guys. We are special people. Our uniqueness makes us special. Thanx to our ancestors who created a nitch for us in East Africa. We are the most famous people in the world not.nobebecause bbecou
Greetings I took a DNA test result of maasai ethnicity.I’m located in North America, Ohio , all this information is great.
We maasai worship our GOD call ENKAI.
Like Israelis people we don’t believe in idols…
Like Israelis tribe we are PASTROLIST..
We believe in OFFERING ENKAI animal Sacrifice..
As Israelis we are not shaken during WAR as ENKAI Go ahead of us to prepare us to defeat the enemies.
Like Israelis Soldiers…. Maasai people are never defeated in War.
Like Israelis People we are surrounded by enemy who steal our Land,Cattles,Goats,Sheep…
Like Israelis.. we are BLESS with Fertile land….
Like Israelis people we Maasai are very Peculiar in the whole World.
We Maasai people believe in WISDOM given to us by ENKAI….we don’t believe in EDUCATION.
We maasai believe in our Elders…
Like Israelis believe in their ancestors Abraham, Isak and Yakub…we also believe in Lenana, Mbatian and Supeet.
Like Israelis Maasai believe in Prophets (ISINKAN LE NKAI), ENKAI direct them in the POWER OF PROPHECY.
Maasai ladies are very beautiful like Israelis ladies & our Men are tall and Handsome like Netanyahu’s brothers.
The Research About My Community Is Cool Bt I Think Not Yet Done.
The Contradictions On Whether Semitic Or Nilotic Still Need To Be Clarified Keenly, But Thanks For The Information.
The Maasai are said to come from central Sudan. The Chagga people are said to have come from uppersl Sudan. Meanwhile the Sudanese says that the Chagga people descended from beyond upper Sudan. That means the Maasai and the Chagga tribe people living in Mount Kilmanjaro slopes migrated alongside with the Maasai people. That’s why the Maasai and the Chagga people have always been in continuous wars/fight which by an example is the Demise of Mangi Horombo, the chief/King of the Chagga clan. The Chagga people keep blowing Shofar until today. Chagga people still holds the Culture and traditions of the Israelites. The Chagga people refers to their supreme creator as Ruwah / Mndumi / Yaaweh. Chagga people are being solely divided into Clans but sharing same Language with slight change of words and pronunciation that makes their speech different from each other. They are in all clans sharing same cultures and traditions with slight copied differences by way of a a reasonable separation during migration and yet moving in the same direction and alongside the Maasai tribe people. To my opinion, I ask the researchers and our historians to conduct a good research on the CHAGGA TRIBE alongside with the MAASAI TRIBE to trace their real origin. I am without any shadow for doubt convinced that the Chagga people are one of the Lost Tribes of Israel. And I am convinced indeed that the Israelites are from the black race people and not from the white race people. The Chagga tribal names like Eliakunda, Elisaria, Terewaeli, Kanaeli, Anandumi, Elichilia, Haikaeli …. etc..shows that the Chagga people still bear the Israelites origin. The World map was turned upside down, so North is at the Bottom.
Let us work hard to find ourselves.
What we need is some to find a direction, and the direction that we seek is the direction towards our own selves! !
My research has concluded that We maasai were a confedaration of tribes that made up the encient Edomite kingdom.Descented from Esau twin brother of Jacob.Their flag was red and their governance was council of elders.Most importantly i found out our blackness was as a result of Esau marrying Hamitic wives among others from cannanites.Pastoralist lifestyle and geolocation of the Edomite kingdom explains our migration through the rift Valley after conquest of arabia by Persian empire.Lastly the term “Naishi o kule” “honey and milk” as a send off greetings reminds us where maasai were destined to Canaan but lost their way to the promised land.
Further research on Esau will shade light on Maasai,Oromo,somali and Kalenjin origin.
Your thoughts are highly welcomed.
there has never been any tribe of Israel lost. who invented this myth of lost tribes of Israel? Quote any verse from the Bible that did prophesy Israelites will get lost. There is NOT even one prophet who has said that. The origin of that story then is the Dxxxl [edited by GTA] who seeks to mislead people.
Secondly, the Maasai are well admired all over for their standing firm and proud of their culture unlike other tribes which have lost themselves while trying to be Europeans. But the fact is Maasai have nothing Israelite in them, whether in beliefs, designs and motifs. Most the Maasai traditions are very opposite of Israel. For example, sharing of wives, drinking of raw blood, cattle raiding traditions. The Maasai Oloibons and their practising of spiritism are anti Judaism. where then is the Israelism of the Maasai?
am currently writing a book on the similarities between the maasai and israelites. my findings are enormous and a prove of either a people with the same origin or must have lived as neighbors to exchange some cultures
Read 1st chronicles 9:12 The maasai tribe of Israel is mentioned as a priestly tribe
There are so many tribes in Africa that us in the Bible. The best p,ace to look s OLD MAPS BEFORE COLONIZATION. However, study the word with its genealogy, language evolution, the lots given in the time of Joshua all the way going forward. I saw in 1 Kings 4 about “Dakar” being in the hill country of Judah in the West. Dakar is in Senegal in the West! Mahli, Maasai, Sons of Gad in Nigeria, etc. I can go on. And Mt. Kenya being formerly named “Sio/Sion/Tsion” in at least 7 maps along with the river by it that the king of Adiel can overlook. Let’s not even touch those old maps that are shocking. Also, the map makers knew because of their detailed noted. It was jaw dropping for me to see countless biblical names. Biblical names was even on old American maps. Research people.
I hope it true that maasai are lost tribe of Israel because when their perform ritual especially when they call for God help their slaughter Alamb and make burning sacrifice to God ,it relate the Old Testament on how people communicate to their God
We are the chosen generation
First Chronicles Chapter 9 verse 12 is no doubt a clear manifestation that the Maasai originated from Israel and is fool proof that we are the descendants of the Israelites.
A closer scrutiny of the Old Testament particularly the book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy shows similarities of dos and don’ts in cultural practices.
The centuries of migration gave way to intermittent integration resulting in the corruption of traditional practices that is concurrently obtain.
I suggest more deep research is needed on a wide scale.
Can we(contributors) seek ways and means of getting together for this purpose?
It’s true that the maasai people are israelites they bare some names like lamech [lemek]
We are Kenyans Israelite’s
May be that is why we are know us the Kenyan/Tanzania Israelite’s
The chosen people.the people with peculiar culture which admired by the whole world.
True it is Gods People. They are mentioned in the Bible.
i am in deep research to build on the existing literature about the maasai people…… in one of my upcoming book “maasai cultural universe” i have tried to give a clear understanding of who the maasai are and six pillars of the maasai culture. The original maa speakers should add more knowledge on these document…..bravo to the author of the article. Read more on book by David ole Munke
Most Maasai men go to the meat camps every August, and in one of these camps I obseved that the hip borne is always thrown away. I asked one of the elders and hecsimply said ‘ because we are prohibited from eating it’. The I remembered Jacobs’ story when he restled with God.
Thank you for the good piece of work. First a point of correction, it is EnkAi and sometimes Enkai and not engai, when receiving blessinga the Maasai say Ai, since Enkai is feminine. The Maasai history can be traced back from Ethiopia which a Maasai name meaning Chocolate pronounced Esopia and to Sudan which is called Sidan meaning Ostriches, and much more.. You need to do more to prove your finding.
Sure we maasai are among ten tribe lost from Israel and this according to chronicle 9:12. “We are the son of adiel” to me Jewish are mostly likely maasai
According to Bible, Maasai are part of the Israel tribe.
The maasai a lost tribe of israel? i don’t think so
All peaple who live around the world always have similarities between
Yes, maasai are one of lost Trible of israel…..don’t need high Education to know that….but passing by Bible! And you will get a much as you Reasons why we claim hat we are a Israel…and we promised are land of Israel by our living GOD!
maasai people are isralites because all those things the bible speaks in the book of deutronomy applies to the believes of the maasai,eg incest is realy forbiden and the penalties for theft and adultry is exactly the same
If the Maasai are originated from Israel, and we believe ”yes they are lost tribe from Israel” how then they became in different clans? For instance Erparakuyo, Kisongo, Loitai,Ilaitayok,Irwasi-ngishu Irkeek oonyokio, Eldamat le kutuk, Loodo kilani, illarusa etc.
Maasi the son of Adiel.
This is enough evidence that the maasai come from israel
truly the masaai tribe is among the twelve tribes of israel in the line of LEVI son of JACOB,but they rejected Gods Laws and thats why they are suffering in the wilderness,but steel God is calling them ‘”my People, my holy Nation”.Deut.14;2
I’m wondering on one point why should food seen as a point to qualify as Israelites. (whats blood) It does not make sense to me knowing quite well about our planet geographical, I just know we are Jews that’s all. There are so many clan of Maasai mention one Baringo this group typically depend on fishing while to other like us Elparakuiyo that’s not a food (shame), before today times that all people of the world are forced to live like European and whatever we believe or play as culture is called indigenous or primitive or backward since is not same with European culture. I just know I believe in Abraham, Mountain Sinai, poponia (heaven) and so men powers my men carrying like Musa
am doing my own independent study on maasai speaking to them and using my past history and also practising judaism which i feel much at home with. i do all the israeli festivals and three times prayers a day. the small study that am growing from a putrid drop to something is bearing fruits and indication indicate that we left israel first after the end of king shlomo reign when Ehyehowah cause yerov’am and king rechav’am to split the 10 tribes from the two. we do not need permission from anyone or a D.N.A approval to be israeli. i do not claim that maasai are y’hudah but we are all israelis. the current situation of the maasai should be considered not the past. we are returning to our roots. how i got a hebrew name ilan from my parents excites me. shalom
Here are similarities between the maasai and the jews.
Maasai do not eat meat on the day they have eaten milk or dairy products.
Maasai have legends similar to the stories of Samson and Delilah, Isaac and Jacob, David and Goliah.
Maasai worship one diety or God called Enkai. They worshiped him directly and also though sacrifices.
Maasai do not eat meat with blood. They always pour/drain the blood from the animal. Blood drinking was not original part of their culture
Maasai have male circumsion as part of their culture.
Their physical body structure resemble those of the jews. Their worriors were known for their bravery!
Could the maasi tribe be one of the 10 LOST tribes of Israel /
There are some who say the lost ten tribes are the Ethiopians, possibly the Masai, some say the North American Indians, etc. In truth half a dozen nations around the world can trace at least a portion of their ancestry to the lost ten tribes of Israel. Some small amounts also returned to Jerusalem centuries ago. I agree with all this, but the most convincing evidence (in my mere opinion) is that they are the Northern Europeans (i.e. NOT most of Greece and NOT most of Italy). I believe worldwide, the highest concentrations of Israelite blood to be in these Northern Europeans – close to 100%. Here is just some of the massive amounts of evidence: https://losttentribesfound.wordpress.com/
The history of the masai is little known and understood, meaning there is need to more studies , that need consolidation to some strong conclusions. I believe the masai have lot of relationships in the bible and need to investigate more. They day to day activities, belifes, taboos have similarities to the bible.
Cograts for the findings.
1 chronicles 9:12 is talking of the genealogy of the children of Israel. Masaai son of Adiel in the lineage of Levi is shown here. Also to my thinking some few Masaai words are borrowed from the bible. For instance “oi pasinai”( still remembering Mt. Sinai), “eyewau mana”( something you cannot tell where it is coming from just like the bible mana), the story of Olarinkoi ( David vs Goliath) just to mention a few.
If you try to look at their day to day life activities, a lot of what they do is so similar to what is the bible yet the bible came to Maasai land a few year back.
The story of Isaac, Jacob & Esau is the same as the Maasai Mbatiany’s sons, olonana and Senteu.
Good research thank you for this information ……correction we call our God ‘enkai’
Some might be the remnants of the north African Hebrew people, being Jewish you must keep the Mitzvahs, The Torah absolutely forbidden the drinking of Blood . Otherwise, if it was due to contacts of the Nilotic people that led them to drinking blood, or is part of being lost? Am not so sure, am Jewish and grew up within the Maasai community, when very young my father and mother warned us strictly, of coming close to meat eaten by Maasai as un kashrut, we had a special, slaughter man, who make sure that the blood is drained, and the meat further socked in a warm salted water for 20mins, and dry it for 20, mins, then apply salt, on big table again for 20 mins to make sure that, no a drop of blood remained.