Support the Maasai runners in the NY marathon

Thanks twaffle ,good idea and thanks again for letting us know.

It's great that they travel to NYC for the run which alone sucks their pockets by at least 4000US§

Supporting them financially is not really necessary as the Massais are by far not poor - generally speaking. Not in African terms and also not in European terms.

SV

I'll be sure to look for them. The route passes 1/block from my apartment.

P.S. Let's hope for good weather, in the 60s is ideal. Just hate when it rains.

SV … I think that you are missing the point here. Not only are they running in the marathon to raise money to assist in the conservation of a critical area (so far it is going pretty successfully) but they will also be raising awareness of many issues pertinent to the environment, conservation and human/wildlife conflict in the US which can only be a good thing for the long term survival of the wilderness we enjoy.

I wonder where you get the idea that Maasai villagers are not poor in European terms! I think the evidence points to another conclusion.

These three Maasai are working in real terms to protect the wilderness which they share with the wildlife and to help educate all the local villagers in the value of the wildlife to them. They work to prevent the ritual killing of lions. They are learning about sustainable use of the resources available to them.

A cynical person may say that there is no benefit in letting local people travel because those dollars could be used for conservation, but I say that travelling and talking to people all over the world is an essential part of conservation. Instead of having an American or European telling us about the failing wilderness, lets have more traditional tribesman come to our countries telling their stories.

So we have to donate an extra few dollars for their airfares, money well spent I say!

Asante Sana, twaffle. I so agree!
I talked to Samson and Parashi about this last June and they are so excited and a bit worried about cold weather. They run well in HEAT! Especially Parashi; he's so excited.

I just wish I could somehow squeeze in at Sandi's Place to watch the race. Sigh!!!

Sandi,

The runners would be hoping for cooler conditions ......... 40s to 50s.

Thanks for mentioning this twaffle, I think it's a great cause and they certainly need all the help they can get

Hari -

50-degrees would be better, of course, but who knows with weather! The reason why the Marathon, over the years, has been moved back from mid-Oct to now early Nov. It wasn't unusual for temps to be in the 70s or higher during Oct, so the organizers first moved it back 1/week and then another week. Thus, it's now early Nov these past 8/yrs or so.

Thank you Twaffle for the lengthy explanation.

As you don't mention the "evidence" I am just relating to what I experience, what friends have experienced who worked on projects in the Mara, in Nakuru and to many many books which support the experience.

To whom you think are those "conservation fees flodding to?
Where do you think is the bank account the bed night rates are going to? Kenya, UK, Switzerland, Italy?
Get your abacus and calculate all those fees.

The fact that the Massai live their traditional lives does not mean they are poor. You might consider that lifestyle poor - it's their tradition and I don't think even more millions of $ won't change their way of living.

But please stop telling others the Massai are poor. They are definitely not.

Conservation in private concessions serve two purposes/interests:
one is the massai which earn be letting others have a camp on their land. And the leaser who builds a camp and has revenue - which is huge.

Conservation of the land and wildlife (concervancy/reserve/park) must be in the interests of the leasers - as these are its assets. In order to pay for conservation he charged astronomically high bed night rates.

Building a school for the maasai who work on that land respectively live in close proximity as they are the original land lords is his/her obligation - particularly also in his interest when his own kids needs to go to school at least at primary.
Having a nurse in his/her concession is also not purely based on the assumtion he/she is a saint. Every single human within and close to that concession profits from it.

Please don't try to educate on conservation or how poor or necessary further (ober the cocession fee/reserve fee etc) support is needed.

I know several people who were personally involved in projects but gave up after 10+ years.

There is a Nigerian very well educated lady - she studied in UK and America - who wrote a book on all those projects and the insanity involved in foreign aid. She is black and knows what she is talking about based on her background and also on her education and experiences. That lady supports exactly what friends have experienced: STOP ALL FOREIGN AID in order to HELP those people.

There are LOADS of books around which deal with the AID business:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=foreign+aid&x=0&y=0

My knowledge is not just theory or based on short visits which might even be 3 - 4 times/annum or weeks long.

SV

SV, thank you for your detailed reply.

A couple of points I would make regarding foreign aid. Whilst I agree that much foreign aid is misguided and counter productive, the one thing I would say is that places like Northern Rangelands Trust and Maasai Wilderness Trust (just to name 2) do not constitute foreign aid, in my view. I am not sure why you make the link in your post that they are. These are models of conservation run in co-operation between local and foreign interests … not much different to business enterprises in my country and probably yours. They may use donations to supply capital finance for projects but I have always found them to be very transparent.

These models are putting local tribal members in control of THEIR land and THEIR destiny for the benefit of all of us. If some get rich, so be it, but I don't think that the rich Maasai out number the poor (in financial terms, as you stated earlier). People may say that Switzerland or Australia or Germany are wealthy countries, but no one imagines that all residents are well off or are benefiting from the business acumen of some. Just as some may say that India is a poor country but there is a large and very wealthy population there as well. I just don't think it is helpful to pretend that the Maasai, as one peoples, are wealthy,

I am sure that you are the only one amongst us who needs no further education in any matters pertaining to Africa, but most of the rest of us are still prepared to learn and adjust our opinions and views to the changing environment. How fortunate for you. Some of us have done more than just travel to Africa as a tourist and also have many, many local African contacts … but obviously our views are still not valid.

Despite all that, I am sure that both you and I wish the best for conservation in Africa even though we may have different views on how that can be achieved.

SV, please support your assertions with facts. Let's see some statistics on per capita net worth for Maasai compared to, let's say, Germans. I don't know what world you live in or on what data you base your "facts" but I'm glad it's not the world in which many of us live.

Sandi - Yes, that's why they moved Boston to a morning start instead of the old noon time start they've had for about 100 years. I think it got really hot one April a couple of years ago.

Heat should not be a problem for the maasai. They told me they feared the cold much more, so running in the heat should be to their advantage ... not for Luca though. I'm hoping for global warming that day to show itself in force and help our maasai warriors run to victory!!! Hakuna matata!!!

Hari - I always wondered why Boston started mid-day, but in April that much farther north gets warmer later than even the few hundred miles south in NYC. Boston morns can be downright freezing in April (if not snow). Flexibility is the name and both cities have adjusted their schedules accordingly.

safarimama - absolutely, the Masai are probably fine with the warmer temps, but not all the runners. I'll likely watch/cheer with my neighbor who is married to a Masai; he though at this time is back in Kenya working their farm near Narok.

Just in from the Marathon. It was nasty.... brrrrrr... out there (at 56-degrees) for viewers, but probably ideal for the runners, many of the men who were running bare chested. I certainly wasn't dressed properly even with a jacket and scarf. Fall has certainly arrived.

Silver went to a Kenyan man (not familiar with the name) who previously won a few Boston Marathons; Bronze to a Morrocan who had been out front for the first half; the US finally took Gold, since some time since 1982.

Surprisingly, the British Radcliff finished 4th in the Women's after holding the front position at least to the 18th mile from where I was watching.

The only familiar face I spotted was Anthony Edwards, who was running for "Shoes for Africa" who are raising funds for a planned first children's (pediatric) hospital in Kenya.

Didn't wait around for Luca, Ed Norton and their Masai runners (whom I understand were staying with Norton at his NY apt) to pass unless I missed them when I popped in to have my eyebrows threaded. Hey, a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta!

For more info you'll have to wait for the evening news.

Thanks for the update Sandi.

BTW, what is eyebrow threading?!

First in among the Maasai was Parashi (as I expected) at 3H 33Min 54Sec
Second was Sunte 6 minutes later, then Ed 9 minutes after Sunte. Luca finished after 4H 46M 36S
Not sure what happened to Simon. Did he run?

I mean Samson (not Simon); I got the info after searching for each runner at
http://athletetracker.ingnycmarathon.org/Tracking.aspx?mode=2

Based on Ed Norton's twitter they raised at least $750,000. Looks like Samson didn't run or didn't finish. Someday we will return to Campi Ya Kanzi...

twaffle - "eyebrow threading"

Well, just that... the use of threads to remove the hairs. Twisted thread grabs the hair and pulls it out. It's been around for thousands of years, mostly done in Asian (India/Pakistan) and Middle-Eastern cultures. Most who have worked on me have been Indian or Pakistani, though I have seen a few caucasian women doing this.

Practically painless, which I find better than waxing and certainly tweezing. More and more of the nail salons (found on almost every street) in NYC, have someone on staff. Cost is about $7-9 (might be twice that in a "named" or Madison Ave salon). They can also thread the upper lip... ouch! That bring tears, and unless wearing waterproof mascara, don't... rather let the gal wax - either thread or wax of lip is $4.

All you every wanted to know about this ancient practice

Edward Norton sponsored the Maasai and they helped him train in NYC so they shelled out nothing. It's not the Maasai they are raising money for, but the Maasai Conservation organization. They are changing their ways a bit and trying to protect the animals and forests (therefore, water) in the Maasai. Influence the locals to protect for all of us. Great cause.

Samson has a fatigue fracture and was devastated to be unable to run. He has already booked his spot for 2010! Parashi was fast, but not being used to drink he dehydrated himslef. Terrible cramps, he had to walk for 30 minutes. He finished in 3.33, an hour longer than his dreamed goal.

Must have been so disappointing for Parashi. Gotta take the water! Seen too many not do so, which is a shame. Hopefully they'll all return for 2010 and remember the liquids.

Thanks Sandi for the threading info, shows just how up to date in beauty practices I am!

Poor Samson and Parashi, for different reasons. Hopefully (as Sandi said) they'll be back in 2010. Glad they raised a good amount of money for the foundation as it is such important work.