Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Maasai Emanyatta Head Shaving Ceremony

Head Shaving Ceremony in East Africa

Maasai People Time Honored Traditions.


Magadi, Kenya, Maasai

Learn about African Maasai Emanyatta Head Shaving Ceremony.


Maasai Words of Wisdom.

It takes one day to destroy a house; to build a new house will take months and perhaps years. If we abandon our way of life to construct a new one, it will take thousands of years. - Maasai People Proverb.

Head Shaving Ceremony in Africa like many other Maasai cultural customs, the traditional ending ceremony of the emanyatta warrior's camp head shaving is disappearing because of the controversy of circumcision, which is very painful yet deeply rooted in Maasai culture.


Maasai society of men.
Maasai men.


Maasai Emanyatta Ceremony African Tradition and Ritual.

After circumcision, the next step is to form the Emanyatta or warrior's camp. Emanyatta contains twenty to forty houses randomly selected by warriors. Warriors will choose certain mothers to relocate at the emanyatta for the duration of its existence. Each Maasai section has its own age-set. The two most common camps are Ilaiserr and Irmolelian or clans; however, it is common for a section to have more than two emanyatta camps.

At the climax of the Emanyatta ceremony, each Maasai Warrior initiate has his hair shaved by his mother. At the climax of the Emanyatta ceremony, each Maasai Warrior initiate has his hair shaved by his mother. This is one of the most poignant moments of his life, as he now leaves the peak period of warrior-hood behind and prepares for the responsibilities of adulthood.

With their heads newly shaved and their bodies rubbed with glistening red ocher, the initiates gather to receive the final blessings of the elders. The elders walk among them, chanting prayers and spraying them with mouthfuls of milk and honey beer. A typical blessing is “May Enkai give you many children, many cattle and a long healthy life.”

Maasai Words of Wisdom

Did you know? Enkipaata, Emuratta, Eunoto, Eokoto e-kule, Enkang oo-nkiri, Olngesherr, are the most popular rite of passages and ceremonies in the Maasai society.

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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