“No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.” Lillian Smith.
A Maasai community -- one set up to show tourists how the Maasai live -- welcomed us with a dance. -- Photo by Pat Bean
African Safari :
There’s a scene in the 1962 John Wayne movie, “Hatari,” in which co-star Elsa Martinelli, dances with Maasai women. In the dance, the women jump up and down making their wide, bead collar necklaces bounce.
Graceful I was not, but one of my best memories of Africa was getting to dance with my Maasai sisters. -- Photo by Kim Perrin
I had long thought that would be a fun thing to do. In what was pretty much a recreation of the movie scene, Kim and I watched a group of Maasai women dance and jiggle their bead collars for us when we visited a model Maasai community as part of our guided tour activities. .
The native leader of the small group, which lived in traditional, dark, dung and twig huts built by the women behind a barricade of thorn bushes to keep out wild animals, asked if someone wanted to dance with them. And then he approached Kim.
I was crest-fallen because he hadn’t approached me. .
But Kim, who has never been quite the ham that I am, shook her head and stepped back. Before he could ask anyone
An impala quietly grazes near the Maasai village. -- Photo by Kim Perrin
else, I eagerly stepped forward and volunteered.
What had looked so easy watching the women get that necklace bouncing wasn’t easy at all to accomplish. My collar ornament barely moved at all.
But then the beautiful bald-headed woman standing next to me gave me a quick lesson, and soon my necklace was bouncing up and down, too – although not with quite the rhythm and grace as those of my African sisters.
After the dance, I bought one of the collar necklaces that was handmade in the village by one of the women. It was the only souvenir I bought for myself on the entire trip.
It was such moments as dancing with the Maasai women, along with watching a leopard stalk a gazelle, adding new birds to my life list, and gazing at Africa’s amazing sunsets at the end of a long day, that drilled a piece of Africa into my heart.
That piece, now four years old, is still there and shining bright with memories.
Pat Bean's blog 
Bravo!!!!
While I have deep, deep Africa envy (it’s always been on the top of my list) I am thoroughly enjoying reading about your experiences. Thank you so much for sharing your adventure with us, even 4 years later.
Hi Pat- this reminded me of me at my first wedding party in the village we lived in for 3 years here in Yemen. The Somali women did a dance using their headscarves that involved lots of wiggling and jumping and moving of parts which I seemed to be sadly lacking in, when compared to them! The dancer was in the middle of the circle- then she’d throw the scarf to another woman to take over. I shocked them all by getting my shy little self out there and dancing with the best of them!! Of course, my eldest daughter was mortified (SMILE). The children and I are loving these Africa posts, thank you for sharing them with us!
Thanks for subscribing to my blog Khadijah. I’ve always been a ham, ready to jump into most anything. It was joining the line of Maasai women and receiving their beautiful smiles and assistance that helped me connect to them as sisters. Tell your children that I think of them when I post my blog and am so glad they are enjoying them. Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com