The Maasai Cultural Festival is set to be elevated to an international tourism festival, Cabinet Secretary (CS), for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano has announced.
Speaking during the final day of the festival in Amboseli, Kajiado County, Miano praised the Maasai community for their commitment to preserving culture and noted that the event has grown into a major attraction within the tourism sector.
“Since we have observed that for three consecutive years the ceremony has been successful, we will register it to be an international event,” she said.
She urged the organisers to work closely with her Ministry to open the festival to global audiences and showcase the richness of Maasai heritage and Kenyan culture.
Miano further revealed that she will attend the United Nations Tourism Executive Council and General Assembly in Riyadh next week, where she plans to lobby for the event to be recognised as a UN Tourism Cultural Event.
Defense Cabinet Secretary, Soipan Tuya, affirmed the government’s support for the Maasai culture but emphasized the need to eradicate harmful practices.
“We want to very strongly say that it is time to phase out all the negative aspects of our culture, among them female genital mutilation and early marriages, which have made the community lag behind in terms of development,” she said.
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, noted that the festival provides a platform for the community to rewrite its narrative, counter stereotypes and instill cultural pride in younger generations.
“Our culture has become the single most recognized African culture worldwide. We want our children to understand our values, to become true Africans who understand patriotism and conservation in an African way,” he said.
He added that the festival also highlights issues affecting the community, including land fragmentation.
Since its inauguration in August 2023 in Narok County, Maa-speaking communities have sustained the Annual Festival, now in its Third Edition.
At its launch, President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, to allocate funds for the event and integrate it into Kenya’s tourism circuit. He also presented UNESCO certificates for the inscription of three Maasai rites of passage (Olng’esherr, Enkipaata and Eunoto) listed as intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.
by Diana Meneto
