“The children will learn about the Naiminie enkiyio forest, which is the only forest in Kenya that is being protected by the community. The forest has preserved thousands of medicinal herbal species and non-herbal materials too, which the laibon uses to treat people and society. The aim is to impact on the children’s understanding and action on the interconnectedness of culture, the environment and our survival. The children will appreciate how our spirituality is closely linked to protection of our sacred sites and listening to and learning from our cultural custodians such as the Laibon Mukombo.”
Like many Indigenous cultures, the Maasai people of Kenya face the threat of their younger generation’s misperception of their way of life. Many have been leaving the Maasai groups to go live a more modern lifestyle. This situation is a problem or the Maasai because they lose their culture more each passing year.
Sacred Fire Foundation will help fund an excursion of sixty children from the Ikinye primary school. These children will get the chance to go to the sacred Loita forest to learn about the Maasai history and traditions from the Oloiboni (medicine man).