THE MAASAI & TECHNOLOGY

The world has always seen the Maasai people as backward, unflinchingly terrified
of technological advancements. They have been called ‘Technophobic’.
As the winner of the 2017 African Rising Photography Competition, I let my
curiosity lead me to explore both the Maasai people and the name tag of external
gaze given them. I found out that the Maasai had a reverse memory of all that
ensued between their community and their people during the colonial era. They
believe that westerners invaded and disrupted their space and deconstructed
their sovereignty thereby bringing division amongst them. The presence of the
colonizers also instigated the death of countless Maasai people.
The damage is so fresh in their minds that they make a silent creed, unknown to
the world. The inherent Maasai gaze has thus become these: to be aware, learn
and utilize all that comes as time progresses and all that there is about
technological advancements, but, to never get entangled with it to the point that
the core of the Maasai culture is lost or termed as irrelevant. To this people,
their culture is priceless so they would never be drawn in!
 This has become my own gaze at them and this unique perspective as it
concerns culture is what I offer the world. The Maasai have gained the
ability to sustain culture in the face of evolving technology conveniently.
Thus, despite the invasion into our African territories, we must cease to see
western culture as ultimate and superior. And, we must rise above the
mental slavery as the Maasai people have.