You’ve probably seen
photos of the elegant jumping dance of the Maasai, where they seem to defy
gravity for a few seconds by leaping into the air at great heights. If you’re
like me and are truly a kid at heart, then you probably tried to jump like them
and realized it takes a lot more skill to do than just jumping off the ground.
However, have you ever wondered why the Maasai jump so high? I know I have, and
I am here with some answers to this big question
Adumu means “leap” in Maasai and this dance, also known as the “jumping dance,” it is a ritual that is part of a rich Maasai traditional initiation event called Eunoto where young warriors transition into manhood. Though this dance is part of a larger traditional ceremony, Maasai warriors will perform it for visitors out of context due to its popularity and uniqueness.
Young men start their journey to manhood when they leave their parents home as adolescents. After which they go through Emuratta, a circumcision ceremony, where they must not flinch or they will fail to move on to the next stage. The boys that successfully go through Emuratta get promoted to the status of junior moran and are moved to a “manyatta,” a traditional Maasai homestead that consists of 48 traditional houses surrounding a cattle enclosure. They move the young men to teach them to gain independence away from their parents; these boys can stay in this manyatta for up to 10 years.
The Eunoto celebrations are the last part of a young warrior’s rite of passage into manhood and can last about ten days. The celebrations include marching in front of elder warriors, singing, the ritual slaughter of a cow, the young warriors first taste of alcohol that is produced from fermented aloe root and honey, and of course dancing the Adumu.
To dance, the Adumu young warriors, or morani, form a circle, and one or two warriors enter the circle. The morani then begin to jump and try to do so while keeping a narrow posture and making sure that their heels don’t touch the ground. This dance is watched by the whole community as they sing, and the higher and more graceful the young men jump, the more appealing they are to young women watching, which is extra motivation for them. When a warrior tires after a few jumps, then another will take his place. The morani in the outer circle will continue to sing as the other warriors jump raising their voices to match how high the jumps are.
Once the ceremony is done the warriors shave their heads to signify their transition into manhood and are now able to go back to society. They are now free to marry, raise their own families and contribute to their society.
I bet you did not know the story behind why the Maasai jump so high was a part of the initiation ritual that turns boys into men or even that it was called the Adumu. Now you do and you can wow your friends with your knowledge!
Visiting Kenya and not seeing the Adumu performed or taking part in it is absolutely unserious on your part, it is a must see activity when you travel and Sites Travel is just the right travel partner for you to collaborate with the deliver the experience of magical Kenya.
Sites Travel Ltd is a bespoke travel and tours management agency based in Uganda.
- Email: reservations@sitestravel-ug.com
- Phone: +256 772 417 481
