Ritual Analysis: The Maasai Children

The Maasai children go through things as they grow up that symbolize their rites of passage. At four years old, the Maasai children go through getting their lower incisors removed with a knife. The Maasai boys show their strength by putting hot coal on their arms and legs. Once they are older the children will get tattoos that are life small cuts on their body. Ear piercing by hot iron is done on every gender. Once healed the lobe is stretched further and further. This is believed to be the bigger the better.
Maasai boys go through a ceremony called Enkipaata. This is a ceremony before circumcision. This ritual is only done after the boy has settled down. This is shown by the boy traveling for four months announcing where he is in the age-set.
Elders go along with the boys on their travel. Houses are built for the boys and the location is chosen by a prophet. A chief of the boys has to be chosen before any ceremony can take place. The chief will be the one to bear the consequences of all of the other boys’ sins. The boys sleep in the forest the day before the ceremony. In the morning they run back to the homes acting restless. They dance all day.
Emarutatare (circumcision) is the next ceremony the boys go through. Boys and girls endure circumcision. This is done after puberty. Circumcision is a symbolization of entering adulthood. Boys tend to cattle for seven days. The eighth day circumcision is done. They get a cold shower outside in the cold. He then goes to the operation under the eye of others. He will endure praise and negativity while on this walk. During circumcision they get no drugs are cannot show any type of reaction to the pain. After circumcision they men get gifts and respect. It takes 3-4 months to heal and they have to wear black clothes for 4-8 months. Once the men are healed they are declared a warrior.