7.2.2025: Visit of the Mukuru Secondary school and move to the "Mukuru Sacred site", the "holy place" of the Maasai.
As the lodge was fully booked for the coming two days even at the time of my first request, we move to the "holy place" of the Maasai, where a new accomodation of Africa Amini Life was built.
Ther driver has to pump up the tyres, so we have to do a short detour to Ngare Nanjuki to the garage of Africa Amini Alama, which at the same time is the praxis school of the vocational school, where the trainees can learn to become car mechanics, carpenters, locksmiths or bricklayers, so of course we take the opportunity for a short visit.
Carpenters´ workshop with a modern circular bench saw.
View of the village of Ngare Nanjuki.
View of the village of Ngare Nanjuki.
Next station is the newly built Mukuru Secondary School.
Round walk in the Mukuru Secondary School.
Lads´ dormitory.
The school consits of several buildings, as all school around.
View down to the valley ...
... and a view to Mount Mukuru, behind to the left is Little Meru and far behind to the right is the Big Meru.
At the Mukuru Sacred site we are welcomed by Maasai - "warriors". (Youtube)
Welcome (Video, Youtube). At the end of the video, to the right, in a white blouse, the founder of the NGO Africa Amini Alama, Dr. Christine Wallner can be seen.
Philippo Laytayok, the Manager of the Mukuru Sacred Site.
Welcome.
At the very first, we get something to drink.
As we are close to the holy caves of the Maasai, the accomodation is built as artificial "caves", on a mountain slope inside a light euphorbia forest.
My living - "cave", but with everything you need - bed, table, bathroom, toilet.
No door, but you don´t need any, because during the night it is neither cold nor dangerous, and an insect grid keeps out night insects - no mosqitoes though on this the dry mountain slope.
My luggage is brought.
Mountain slope with grass, acacia and euphorbs.
Solar electric power, warm water for shower and toilet are here - like all other accomodations of Africa Amini Life.
Light forest with acacia and euphorbs and the view down to the valley. The Mukuru Secondary School is on the opposite slope.
A branched gorge comes down along the slope, on the side branches like here several volcanic caves, secondarily excavated by water.
The kitchen, ...
where it is cookied efficiently.
We take a short rest before starting to a walk up the mountain.
Lemonyellow rosemallow (Hibiscus calyphyllus)
On the way to the "whispering cave" up on the mountain ridge.
Flowering Acazia on the route.
Flowering Acazia. The knots are home for ants. When a girafe wnts to eat the leves, the ants come out in bite into the tongue of the giraffe, so the girafffe leaves. Thus, the tree is protected against eating up all its leaves.
At the holy cave ("whispering cave") of the Maasai (Video)
The whispering cave is a sacred place for maaasai to make rituals and prayer; When the rain is late, but also for health and long life. It is believed that God is communicating with people (Philipo Laytayok in a mail to me).
Group photograph. Lorli decided to stay back because the ascent was too much for her. Mount Mukuru in the background.
Nice view to Mount Longido from here.
Mount Longido (in a separate browser window)
In the evening, we walk to the fairground of the maasai near the gorge and and to the other two caves.
The gorge, after the recent rain, still some puddles of water remaining.
The Maasai are approaching.
At first a dance (Video)
Then there are fights (only performance for us, of course).
Maasai fight man against man; conciliation at the end. (Video)
One more fight man against man with conciliation. (Video)
Maasai group fight. (Video)
Maasai group fight. "Injured person" (far right, at the end of this video)
Maasai group fight, conciliation (Video)
The "injured" person is brought to the healing cave, ...
... where he is treated ...
... with a healing drink.
After that, they change to the other cave on the opposite side of the gorge, to make fire.
Preparing to make fire (Video)
The fire is then carried to the cave.
Fire in the cave (Video)
Fire in the cave (Video)
Maasai dance after the fire (Video)