The Maasai are known internationally for their distinct, vibrant culture, which has stood the test of changing times and globalisation. Their pomp and colour are coveted worldwide, and tourists from far and near travel to experience authentic Maasai beauty as well as other Kenyan cultural elements firsthand. In Nairobi, the Maasai Markets are the hubs where these elements of our culture come alive through trade.
The History of Maasai Markets
The history of the markets dates to the barter trade years of the 1980s when Maasai women traded milk and honey with Kamba women. When money as the currency of exchange replaced barter trade, the market dwindled for a while but resurfaced in 1982 when traders yielded to the new way of transaction. The business resumed operations along Mombasa Road.
The market experienced a meteoric rise in business, so in 1989, traders organised themselves and registered their group as a business. Additionally, they relocated their enterprise to a larger space in downtown Nairobi. Downtown did not serve them for long as the city council, responsible for services such as markets, kept changing its location. Eventually, the market found its way to other neighbourhoods of Nairobi.
A Beacon of Cultural Diversity and Resilience
At present, more than five Maasai mobile markets are spread out across the city, operating on different days of the week in their respective locations. The most notable location is the High Court parking lot in the city centre, where visitors flock every Saturday. These markets are teeming with spectacular beadwork and intricate jewellery that make for unique souvenirs, colourful fabrics, soapstone arts, paintings and wooden crafts curated with great intention.
All the items at Maasai Markets are handmade using traditional techniques and embellished in outstanding patterns that reflect the different cultural heritages of our people.
Veritably, the Maasai Markets are not just business enterprises but ventures where cultures from all over Kenya converge in a magical explosion of colour Here lives the essence of #KeCulture.