Maasai gender roles are an integral part of their culture in many ways including sexual interaction. However, STDs such as HIV and AIDS have recently become an important issue in Maasai culture. Due to Maasai cultural practices, STDs have been able to perpetuate and infect many individuals. Health officials are intervening by introducing forms of contraception and family planning. Although beneficial, these new practices have changed Maasai cultural practices as a result of sexual lifestyle changes.
The female and male roles in Maasai culture are the primary cause for sexual interaction. Young women in Maasai culture are called ‘Ndito’ while males and warriors are known as ‘Morani’. Older Morani tend to have sexual relationships with young Ndito women during night dances and circumcision ceremonies which are prominent in Maasai culture. According to L.K. Birks, a researcher at the University of Calgary, the introduction of HIV/AIDS into Maasai society is due to Morani living among urbanized areas in Eastern Africa. In these locations Morani have had anonymous sexual encounters with outsiders.
As a result, an epidemic has cloaked the Maasai people. However, family Planning activists have been taking proactive steps to minimize cultural impact among Maasai individuals. For instance, activists are encouraging Ndito to attend afternoon dances instead of night dances, where Ndito run higher risk of anonymous sexual encounters with Morani. These same activists have designated small-body educators in each Maasai community to teach fellow kinsman the benefits of safe-sex practices and how STDs are spread through a population. Lastly, government funding has produced mobile clinics which periodically visit these communities and perform testing and regiments for individuals with or at risk for any STDs.
References:
Birks, L. K. et al
2011 Promoting Health, Preserving Culture: Adapting RARE in the Maasai Context of Northern
Tanzania. AIDS Care 23(5):585-592DOI:10.1080/09540121.2010.516344
It was truly shocking to find out that HIV/AIDS is currently an epidemic in Maasai culture. Its alarming to realize that globalization can affect each and every one of us no matter how remotely we live or even where we live. HIV is still a very great threat even to western society so I can imagine that to the Maasai, it is even more devastating. It is also good to see that there is human agency toward global situations like these. Activists are trying to come up with non-conventional ways that maintain Maasai cultural customs and also minimize the ever-encroaching footprint of globalization. Because the older Morani men have been forced into the city and Maasai territory is now sectioned for nature reserves, I feel like globalization may eventually become the downfall of Maasai society.
ReplyDeleteGood comment, good posts. I like the fact you are posting rich info. And I see your refs are somewhere else with a title. Please, read comments made on VAN's post, and coordinate efforts. The only thing this group needs is that, which also means, if you all articulate/coordinate efforts, it will look consistent. I have not even looked at the way you cite the AAA Style, but please, all of you have to check that too, and if needed, email me and I will help you. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAgain, this is a very important post, and you talk about agency right on the dot during your reflection. However, when I think about it, we watched a film (Milking the Rhino), that you all could use for your reflective post, and none have. Try to talk about this during your presentation tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteNow, as I have mentioned this to your group mates, some of you call them REFERENCES, some of you WORKS CITED, you all did have them as a separate section. Now I see Carolina and Jeremy seems very consistent, you might need to talk to them after the presentation so it all looks very uniform in that sense. Remember, I am also loking at aesthetic aspects of the blog. Thanks. Good job