Maasai In The Dark Night

It was almost pitch black.

The only illumination was coming from the dying coals of the campfire my traveling companions and I were relaxing around.

We were on a Johannesburg to London overland tour of Africa, and after a long day on the road had set up camp in the remote Masai Mara area of Kenya.

As we were luxuriating in the near inky blackness, feet stretched toward the warmth of the campfire, some Maasai Warriors suddenly materialised next to us.

So quiet was their approach it was as if wraiths had come to visit.

"Jambo." said their leader using the common Kiswahili greeting.

After a few moments of stunned silence we muttered "Jambo" in return. We were still processing what had just appeared amongst us and had momentarily lost the ability to speak coherently.

Fortunately the warriors had no malice in mind. They were just curious about the light, and the group of strangers who had set up camp on their land. They soon struck up a friendly conversation.

The warriors stood there in their traditional clothes with their spears held vertically by their side. One end on the ground, the spears were almost as long as the 6 foot plus owners were tall.

I'd wanted a Masai spear for a long time and had looked covetously at them in the tourist shops of Nairobi. However, I was dubious about the quality of the goods in those places and the price was usurious so hadn't taken the bait.

Thinking to myself that now was my chance to barter for one I went to my tent to pull out a scientific calculator I'd brought along specifically for that purpose. It was 1986 and the latest calculators were very popular in the west at that time.

"Surely they'd be worth their weight in gold out in the wilds of Africa," I'd thought as I bought one before setting out on my trip.

With the calculator still in it's pristine box I eagerly engaged the leader of the Maasai trio in what I thought was a meaningful barter dialogue.

He took the calculator and looked it over.

After making a few calculations and a thorough study of the calculator he carefully put it back in the box and graciously handed it back to me.

"It's wonderful," he said. "But what use is it to me out here?"

He said it with such diplomacy and nobleness that I felt a total fool. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

You could say I'd been condescending, ignorant, stupid or more... and you'd be right. I was so fixated upon my desires that I hadn't given any thought to what the Maasai's needs were.

What was he going to do with a calculator when a lion or other predator attacked his cattle which were the store of his family's wealth? Throw it at them?

And, did he really need a calculator to count them?

Heck, I'd not even thought to ask his name nor where he could buy batteries for the calculator once they'd gone flat!

Man, what a lesson in value exchange I'd been handed, and in such a gentlemanly way too.

I was humbled by the noble honesty of the Maasai Warrior and embarrassed at my naivety.

I felt like a young child at kindergarten who'd been caught trying to outsmart the teacher and shrank away from any further dialogue.

And...

By doing so, I missed what was perhaps a more valuable lesson than had been handed to me so far.

It was only many years later that I understood what I should have done once the calculator had been handed back to me.

Yes, a sincere apology for my naivety, that was what was needed from me. It would have gone a long way toward restoring my integrity and allowed me to continue talking with, and learn more from my teacher.

Now, it took me a long time to fully take on board the lessons that aristocratic warrior gave me. I hope it won’t take you so long.

I learnt that in any business (or life) interaction one needs to build a relationship and make sure that what you offer the other has real value for them...

And the importance of recognising any mistakes you might make and offering a sincere apology to the affected party once you do so.

I will end with a big thank you to the nameless Masai warrior.