Running head: African Social Class: Sex and Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

African Social Class: Sex and Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?
Tasha D. Johnson
Human Growth & Development, PSC-250
Professor Jennifer Hawley
Chesapeake College
July 2, 2013

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

Abstract
Numerous of signs and billboards are around Africa warning them to protect themselves from
sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV, by using condemns. Though the awareness is there in
Africa, the topic has not been addressed appropriately to one of its neighboring area Kenya.
African culture in regards to sex, marriage and courtship will be compared and contrasted with
the beliefs of United States. Knowing the African continent is majority young individuals, social
views are viewed very differently. Little to no knowledge about STDs, with the mindset of
multiplying, within the Maasai tribe located in Kenya, could very well become extinct. With no
cure as of yet for HIV, introducing young girls to have sex with hopes of physical development,
with multiply partners, could be great danger to the Maasai population. Taking such pride in
their tribe, the health of their loves ones should be taken more into consideration as well.

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

African Social Class: Sex and Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?
Africa is the worlds second largest continent as well as the most popular, is
surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, and covers 6% of the Earths total surface area and 20.4%
of total land area (Africa, para. 1). Over the years the populations of Africa have increased
greatly. Majority of the population consist of young adults, mostly under 25 years of age,
growing the population from 221 million in the 1950s to 1 billion in 2009 (Demographics:
African People, para. 48). Kenya and Northern Tanzania, the home of The Maasai people, grew
from over 300,000 in the 1980s to well over 800,000 people in 2009 (Maasai people, para.1).
The African continent is very multilingual in regards to language and it is very common for
individuals to speak not only the African languages but several European languages as well. The
Maasai people, part of the Nilotic ethnic group, are a nomadic group that sticks to their
traditional lifestyles including their language of Maa which is a language of the Nilo-Saharan
language family.
Diving into the Maasai Culture and Traditions
Proud and independent, Maasai people always remain strong within their tribe.
Owning large quantities of cattle, sheep, and goat enables them to locate grazing grounds and
water sources seasonally. Cattle represent food and power, the more cattle one has, the more
power and influence he has within the tribe (The Maasai people, para. 1). The Maasai lifestyle
has changed over the decades, but they still managed to keep their social traditions. The Maasai
men are born and raised to become warriors. At age 14, Maasai boys go through a circumcision
ceremony, which requires them to leave for up to 8 years looking over livestock in villages far

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

from their home. When they return home, they then are intended to get married and considered
junior Moran. Junior Moran males and females distend their earlobes and grow their hair in very
long braids with beads. Traditionally, the woman make the beads for both the men and
themselves, and the rules for beads are only 3 colors can be used, red, blue, and green (Maasai
Culture, para. 12). A popular piece of jewelry made by using these beads is a necklace that is
worn by unmarried woman when doing a dance called Olamal, a dance to attract the community
leaders for blessings.
How Marriage is Handled and Approached
While jewelry is very popular amongst the Maasai, before marriage a girl is
only allowed to decorate the upper ear but not the lobes. Usually the upper ear is pierced with a
large hole with a bead fastened to the ear. On Maasai woman wedding day, elaborate knee
length necklaces are worn. Once shes married, she will then wear an Nborro, long blue bead
necklace and their earlobes are then decorated with long beaded flaps and will often carry a snuff
container threaded onto her necklace. As stated earlier, when the Maasai boys return to the
village after the circumcision ceremony, they are ready for marriage. Maasai young men will
then go through a Eunto ceremony, where their mothers shave their heads and they are now
considered senior Moran, which is considered reachable marriage age. The process that a young
man goes through before marriage is far greater than the female, for this reason is why the
husbands are usually older than their wives.
Sex before Marriage?
With the Maasai men being at an elderly age when married, one of the main
concerns, especially within United States relationships, is ones love life. Maasai women are very

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

young when marriage is introduced, which means sex is introduced at a very young age. Maasai
girls are sexually active before they even reach puberty and these early sexually partners are not
likely looked at as potential marriage partners (Department of Social Policy, London School of
Economics and Political Science. UK, 2007, p. 392) Semen in the Maasai culture is said to help a
young girl develop physically, mostly for breast enlargement so sexual intercourse before
marriage is not frowned upon amongst their tribe.
There are rules, however, within the tribe in regards to sexual intercourse. The
age set system within their social culture, while prohibiting a young man who is circumcised to
live with his father, allows him to have sex before marriage with the appropriate partner
(Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science. UK, 2007, p.
391). Strict rules prohibit young men from having sex with married woman, but allow them to
have sex with young, pre-pubescent girls that are unmarried. These girls could be as young as 11
years of age while the men are well in their twenties or older.
Impact of early sexual intercourse and STDs
Maasai culture encourages sexually intercourse on their young girls, with the
belief of physical development, with little to no knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases.
Instead, according to the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and
Political Science, the exchange of semen symbolizes responsibility of procreation (2007, p. 389).
Condemns are frowned upon and looked at as being negligent and prevents sexual pleasure. The
worries of STDs are no fear to the Maasai tribe, while in America talking about STDs because
of unprotected sex, is talked about tremendously.

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

HIV/AIDS prevention amongst the Maasai tribe has not been paid attention
too. The connection of HIV/AIDs and semen, considering that in some areas of Africa
HIV/AIDs are acute, preventing a disease such as this because of their traditions and beliefs are
over looked. An unpublished study done at Wasso Hospital in regards to HIV was done in 1994,
and of the 277 blood samples collected, 15 cases were positive for HIV (Department of Social
Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science. UK, 2007, p. 391). An area that has
a population of few and with the little to almost no knowledge about STDs, instead of
procreating, they could find their population are extinct one day.
Americans VS. Maasais
Semen is considered essential to the social and psychological development of young
girls (Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science. UK,
2007, p. 395). With no knowledge of the true anatomy due to lack of education, how can this
prediction be made a tradition amongst people? American people have tied semen to being an
antidepressant, Maasais feel semen is more for structural use. According to Daniel Tomasulo,
PH. D (2011), sperm is suspended in semen and not absorbed in the vagina but does make up 3%
of the solution while the remaining has 4 dozen other chemicals present, one being serotonin, the
main neurotransmitter in antidepressants.
With researches like the one Tomaulo discussed being performed, Americans still know
the risk of unprotected sex, and the encouragement of unprotected sex is something frowned
upon and not done, especially from parents, teachers, the church, friends or others with high
standards and morals. Local health departments are available all over the United States offering
free services to people, from educational material to condemns and oral contraceptives. Not only

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

the risk of STDs could be contracted by having unprotected sex, but the risk of unplanned
pregnancy could happen as well. Unplanned pregnancy in America happens, but the matter is
attacked with much effort. Getting sex education from school, parents and doctors reported
fewer pregnancies as well as fewer abortions in American girls (Bonner & Williams, 2006, p.1).
Maasai people feel the more children born the better, which can be understood considering their
traditions and beliefs.
As an American, protection against STDs and unplanned pregnancies is something that
is almost always discussed and encouraged during the appropriate time in life. HIV/AIDs are
one of the many STDs without a cure. This disease attacks the immune system with an ending
result of death. With that knowledge alone, having unprotected sex could equal danger against
the body, especially if intercourse is with an unfamiliar partner. Education is very important no
matter what the subject is, finding it hard to believe that getting informed about the use of
condemns being frowned upon and almost impossible within the Maasai people, is heart
breaking. Exposing young girls to sex as early as age 11 years old is disturbing and having an 11
year myself, the thought of her having sex causes nausea. Early pregnancy and sexual
transmitted diseases emerging in the United States is not surprising and not always prevented,
but the efforts of education and the awareness makes me proud to me an American even more.
Condemns frowned upon, so now what?
Young girls in the Maasai tribe, respect the traditions and belief of their people.
Modeling after their own mothers, preparing to one day themselves be a mother and a wife, at
such a young age is not American girls idea of childhood. Playing with dolls, painting toe nails,
dancing to favorite teen music and other activities are things carried out in American culture

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

today and considered acceptable childhood behavior. The fear of sexual activity at the age of 11
years old is not a worry in our society. Sex education is taught in school, in homes, through
youth programs at church and available resources for not only American children but adults are
provided to help us.
Education on STDs from having unprotected sex is not provided very much in the
Maasai tribe, but prevention methods have been put in place due to the awareness of HIV/AID
infection. A model called, R.A.R.E, Rapid Assessment Response and Evaluation model, was put
in place to provide highly affected communities of the HIV infection, with tools that will quickly
identify new infections and barriers against HIV infected people while they are getting tested and
treated (Birks, Powell, Thomas, Medard, Roggeveen & Hatfield, 2011, p. 586). Another
program put in place to help the prevention of STDs is a program called Community Advisory
Team (CAT). This program allows input and control from the Maasai people. Community input
is the main focus of this group and allows local HIV/AIDS knowledge, knowledge gaps,
establishment of the uptake on HIV services, and makes risk reduction a priority (Birks, Powell,
Thomas, Medard, Roggeveen & Hatfield, 2011 p. 586)
Besides the informative information through school systems, TV, internet, health
departments, parents and many other resources we have in America in regards to STDs,
developing programs for our society are put in place. HIV being introduced to our country 30
years ago, since then, more than half million Americans have died of this disease and 1.1 million
are living with it (AmjPublicHealth, 2011; 101:e4-e8). The Obama Administration in 2010
released NHAS, National HIV/AIDs Strategy for the United States (Yehia & Frank, 2011). With
three main strategies as this organization focus, reducing new HIV infections, improving access
to care and health outcomes, and reducing HIV related health disparities, this program is a major

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

asset to the United States. The NHAS program is still under construction due to lack of funds,
but the attention and intention to prevent the spread of HIV has caught the attention of others and
made a priority.
Sex is an act between two individuals and for the most part is enjoyed. In America age
matters for a lot of things especially sex, in the Maasai Tribe age doesnt matter. Condemns in
America are available almost everywhere and offense is not taken if worn for the protection of
unplanned pregnancy or disease, in the Maasai Tribe, condemns are frowned upon and they feel
that semen shouldnt be wasted. Traditions and cultures are established through the world and
we may never understand why certain groups say or do certain things. Awareness of danger to a
land should be taken more seriously rather than for granted. Exposing young girls to sex because
of a tradition should be something addressed, but when rituals and everyday rules of life have
been set and a person is born within that society or culture, breaking tradition and becoming
accustom to a new one could be difficult. Educating the African continent is still being focused
on with the programs that are in place, as well as the focus on educating our young children and
adults in America are happening every day. Giving up is not an option, knowledge is power,
words are seeds and as long as we keep spreading the information on STD prevention, those
seeds will grow, and who knows, maybe one day new traditions and trends can be made within
the Maasai people.

African Social Class: Sex or Disease, Does it matter to the Maasai Tribe?

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References

Birks, L. K., Powell, C. D., Thomas, A. D., Medard, E. E., Roggeveen, Y. Y., & Hatfield,
J. M. (2011). Promoting health, preserving culture: adapting RARE in the Maasai context
of Northern Tanzania. AIDS Care, 23(5), 585-592. doi:10.1080/09540121.2010.516344
Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science. UK
Tomasulo, D. (2011). Does Semen Make Women Happy?. Psych . Retrieved on July 3,
2013 from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archieves/2011/03/03/does-semen-makekwomen-happy/
Williams, M. T., & Bonner, L. (2006). Sex Education Attitudes and Outcomes among
North American Women. Adolescence (San Diego): An International Quarterly Devoted
To The Physiological, Psychological, Psychiatric, Sociological, And Educational Aspects
Of The Second Decade Of Human Life, 41(161), 1.
Yehia, B., & Frank, I. (2011). Battling AIDS in America: An Evaluation of the National
HIV/AIDS Strategy. American Journal Of Public Health, 101(9), e4-e8.
doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300259
http://www.magicalkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=152&Ite
mid=190http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_people