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Specific Mystical Beliefs and Practices That Are Still Being Practiced by the Maasai Community in Narok North Sub-County and Their Significance
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Religion
Abstract
The Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County, Kenya, has a rich cultural heritage that includes various mystical beliefs and practices. Despite the influence of modernization and the adoption of Christianity, many of these beliefs and practices persist. This seminar paper aims to identify and describe the specific mystical beliefs and practices that are still being practiced by the Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County and to explore their significance to the community. The study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing ethnographic methods such as semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. A purposive sampling method was used to select 20 participants, including Maasai elders, traditional healers, and community members. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County still practices various mystical beliefs and practices, such as divination, traditional healing, and ancestor veneration. These practices were found to have significant cultural, social, and spiritual importance to the community, contributing to their sense of identity, social cohesion, and connection to their ancestral land. The study concludes that the persistence of these mystical beliefs and practices underscores their importance to the Maasai community and highlights the need for their preservation and promotion. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the Maasai community's cultural heritage and provide insights for policymakers and development practitioners working with indigenous communities in Kenya.
Keywords
Mystical Beliefs and Practices
References
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[3] Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (2007). Ethnography: Principles in practice (3rd ed.). Routledge.
[4] Hodgson, D. L. (2011). Being Maasai, becoming indigenous: Postcolonial politics in a neoliberal world. Indiana University Press.
[5] Krapf-Askari, M. (2009). Maasai religion and beliefs. In J. Middleton & J. Miller (Eds.), New encyclopedia of Africa (Vol. 3, pp. 546-548). Thomson Gale.
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How to cite this paper
@article{1705786,
author = {Nancy Purko, Rispah Wepukhulu, Margaret Nanjala Matisi},
title = {Specific Mystical Beliefs and Practices That Are Still Being Practiced by the Maasai Community in Narok North Sub-County and Their Significance},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2024},
volume = {7},
number = {11},
pages = {307-313},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1705786.pdf},
abstract = {The Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County, Kenya, has a rich cultural heritage that includes various mystical beliefs and practices. Despite the influence of modernization and the adoption of Christianity, many of these beliefs and practices persist. This seminar paper aims to identify and describe the specific mystical beliefs and practices that are still being practiced by the Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County and to explore their significance to the community. The study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing ethnographic methods such as semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. A purposive sampling method was used to select 20 participants, including Maasai elders, traditional healers, and community members. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the Maasai community in Narok North Sub-County still practices various mystical beliefs and practices, such as divination, traditional healing, and ancestor veneration. These practices were found to have significant cultural, social, and spiritual importance to the community, contributing to their sense of identity, social cohesion, and connection to their ancestral land. The study concludes that the persistence of these mystical beliefs and practices underscores their importance to the Maasai community and highlights the need for their preservation and promotion. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the Maasai community's cultural heritage and provide insights for policymakers and development practitioners working with indigenous communities in Kenya.},
keywords = {Mystical Beliefs and Practices},
month = {May},
}