INFORMATION
Warriors III
A group of young Maasai men have been questioning the need to stop and end female genital mutilation within their community. “Female genital mutilation is part of our culture and practice and it marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, of women from girls. We now realize FGM is one of the practices we should not have in our society. It’s not helping us but affecting our girls and mothers and wives, ”The Maasai Cricket Warriors are Maasai youth from the Laikipia area in Kenya who have dropped their spears for cricket bats and through cricket development within rural Maasailand wishes to empower youth by tackling social problems to bring about positive change within their community and at the same time retain traditions and adapt into the 21th century. I have over the years photographed every Maasai Traditional ceremonies that men have to undergo to be accepted and respected within their community.Rites of passages that have been going for centuries and that are the basis of Maasai life and if not followed will ostracize and make you a pariah from your community. I think it is fascinating and rare within a traditional culture and a community to experience and see how the young generation seeks to change the old and transform it wanting to use their influence as warriors, and create a positive change within their community via sports and cricket.