Seminar: Birth of beautiful brides: Rise and transformation of the female gender roles and responsibilities among the Maasai pastoralists of Kenya

Photo credits: Kandukuru Nagarjun (via Wikimedia Commons).

This event will be held physically in Leiden. For registrees who cannot travel to Leiden a link to an online platform will be sent one day before the start of the event.

The Maasai pastoralists have for eons been famed for astute bravery and insightful management of their arid ecosystem. Admiration of their life and livelihoods is displayed as indigenous acumen and dotted on tourism attraction sites, beauty spaces and macho spots. Documentations however fault the community of being absolute patriarchal and accordingly denying the female gender rightful spaces in resource access, control, ownership and, management. While this has been significantly true, the movement from communal to private rangeland ownership is heralding in changes that invite women to the decision making and resources sharing tables with the pastoralists’ men. In this seminar, visiting fellow Moses Mwangi (South Eastern Kenya University) explains that the ensuing outputs are pronounced in ways that the entire gender spectrum vouches to be of posterity. Propelled by recognition as proficient, the women are into appreciated activities that are revolutionising the wellbeing of the community, which is facing a rise in vulnerability aggravated by climate change and extreme weather events, unpalatable national development agenda, population growth pressure and diminishing access to range resources.