Publisher's Synopsis
The scenes of this novel take place sometime after smallpox and rinderpest plagues that ravaged the Maasai nation and their cattle circa 1883-1902 and before Kenya earned its independence in the year 1963.The ilmaasae or Maasai people have been known for their rich culture, their co-existence with wildlife, and their migratory nature. Foreign influences have to some extent adulterated their culture and my endeavor in writing this novel has been to bring to the broader global audience, an accurate picture of how these influences have affected their day-to-day lives.The advent of the white settlers and Christian missionaries who came to colonize and to Christianize the natives respectively brought with it dire consequences. They, to an extent, succeeded in altering the natives' habits and bringing some aspects of their culture to extinction. At outset, these foreigners may have had the intention of 'enlarging the ilmaasae's natures', or gradually civilizing them and some had perhaps intended for the natives to keep hold of some of their traditions; preserving the best of their old ways while embracing the much needed new ones. But, having not managed to take out the undesirable aspects from a solid culture, they put aside their responsibility of protecting the Maasai cultural integrity and wanted it discarded altogether. In their wake, they left behind a decimated native population and tattered cultural knowledge systems. The title of this book, "Maasai in Red" has been tackled in all its imagined angles. Red symbolizes Maasai culture and the most important color as it stands for courage, strength, and unity within the Maasai nation. They are fond of cattle's blood as a meal, red clothing as an emblem of their identity, red ochre-covered body as a charm, red beads as an attraction, and red-colored shields as a deterrent to predators. Engai Nanyokie, their Red God, has a red sword that he uses to punish those who did not maintain good virtues. But to the outside world, red betokens danger and when this world went to the Maasai nation; they brought with them their dangerous red, to extinguish the natives in totality; by the death of blood. The ilmaasae are bleeding.The English language in this book has been cross-woven with the Maa language, sayings, and some songs. Most of the Maasai culture is preserved in song and dance and praise. And these have been passed on from generation to generation, which helped in passing down traditions and maintaining a sense of cultural identity. Now, the survival of the ilmaasae will be decided by the outside world. We must have them redeem their culture if we want it passed to their next generation. Let us memorize these words as we read on for it is to be hoped that the ilmaasae would be troubled when they hear us speaking their mouth, which they are spitting out as their quest to speak ours.