After a long day herding the cattle, one of the younger warriors sits down in a hut in Loiborsoit, Tanzania, to rest as supper is prepared on the fire.

To avoid exploitation, among other things, a few years ago the government granted the Maasai ownership of the land upon which they currently lived. Only a decade ago, the Maasai where free to move around and settle where they pleased, but following the land reform, the Maasai settlements are no longer temporary and the intention is no longer to be on the move.

Three Koriangai sit in a classroom at the local school, waiting for the catholic church’s choir practice to begin. Unfortunately, as most people live a fair distance from the actual village in settlements far apart from each other, no one else made it for practice this time.

After a rainy night looking after the cattle at the temporary Rondo settlement, Matayo, one of the Koriangai warriors of Loiborsoit, makes a quick calculation of traveling expenses on his arm. He plans on heading to Mwanza in search for work at the Mwadui diamond mine.

One of the warriors, Kisongoi, leads the cattle to the temporary settlement, Rondo, located half a days walk from the village in an area where there still is grazing for the cattle

Kinaru (left) has just got hold of a new piece of 250cc motorbike tire and gets help turning them into the type of shoes that partly define the warriors’ dress-code. This particular tire is known to have the best grip and are the sturdiest to be found.

Tobiko inspects their maize stock. As the rains still have not arrived, the outcome of the next harvest is unsure and there are already stories of how entire households have starved to death due to the short supply of maize.

Young Maasai boy, warrior to be.

Simel grew up in Arusha and works today as a driver’s assistant on one of the few cars trafficking the steppe. In spite of the strong communal Maasai identity and integrity, they few that grow up in the city are doomed to be regarded with different eyes. They are still Maasai, no doubt, but whenever something disappears in the village there is little question about who everyone suspects for theft.

One of the Koriangai rests from the midday sun in a nearby hut while the others take turns cultivating some nearby fields. After the Maasai were allowed ownership of the land where they currently lived, they also began to farm on a larger scale then previously, maize being the major produce of choice.

The sun rises over Rondo as the fog lifts after a rainy night. As Matayo prepares some beans for breakfast, the others chat cheerfully about the long awaited rain that have finally arrived.

A boy rests in a hut on a bag of precious maize.

Biking from one well to another. As the landscape is essentially flat and filled with a patchwork of paths, biking is one of the quicker ways to get around.

Once in a while, one of the village generators is turned on to power this improvised hairdresser’s shop. The warriors should always wear as short hair as possible according to the strict warrior dress-code.

The Maasai society revolves around the warriors. They perform the work, take care of the cattle and defend the settlements. Each new generation of warriors set their code of conduct and move, in theory, freely between the bomas, not having one of their own until a new generation of warriors grow up and take over.