For many years the Masai life style and culture had been thrilling tourists who visited national parks and game reserves in the northern circuit of Tanzania, but they gained nothing from the business.
Things are different now in the Ngorongoro after Ngorongoro Conservation Authority (NCA) enabled the Masai in the area to benefit from their culture.
The designated Masai bomas which are found in the conservation area are now used as one of their means of income. The Masai Bomas are located near the Southern Serengeti (Ngorongoro Conservation Area) / Olduvai Gorge.
They are located just a few minutes off the main road that links the Serengeti with the Ngorongoro Crater and a visit can easily be included into any Tanzania safari. You can easily choose to visit the village on the way from the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater.
According to the NCA conservator Mr. Bernard Murunyam, last year the Maasai community pocketed over Sh250 million as entrance fees from local and international tourists who visited their bomas.
“Currently there are about seven designated bomas in the area, according to Murunyam, they are all owned by the Maasai under the supervision of their ward leaders,” says Murunyam.
In order to live in the designated bomas, the ward leadership has created a roaster whereby every Maasai has the right to use the bomas on strict rotation schedule.
While at designated bomas the Maasai engage in various activities, but making traditional ornaments such as necklaces, bangles, ear rings has been their major activity.
NCA Conservator Mr. Murunyam says that they have decided to create this tourist attraction as a way to economically improve the lives of the Maasai found within the conservation area.
He goes on to explain that the newly introduced project also aims at making communities solely depending on livestock keeping to have other means of generating income.
“The Maasai community own the bomas 100 per cent, the authorities have nothing to do with the income garnered from the newly introduced business,” he said.
“The Maasai know their culture better than anybody else, that’s why we decided to assist them so that they themselves can explain their own culture, natural history and their activities to tourists and at the same time increase their income,” he said.
They get income through entry fees, sales of handcrafts, singing and dancing,” Murunyam explains.
He adds that other income generating activities in the bomas include guiding tourists, selling animal products such as milk and skins as well as forest products such as honey and local weapons.
He says that tourists are thrilled with the idea of the bomas. Most of the visitors have been fascinated to find that the Maasai are very friendly, helpful and willing to share information about their culture and interaction with wildlife.
The money gained helps in the construction of primary schools, supports school children at secondary schools, repairs water points, cattle troughs etc.
“Since NCA residents still prefer to keep cattle and other livestock as their principle source of food they use part of the money to buy sheep and goats, a situation that helps them reduce poverty in their families.
