I was scrolling through my Africa photos from November 2007. Found this photo of a Maasai’s sandals.
Most of the Maasai we saw were either barefoot or wearing these homemade retreads.
I think of my sandals here at home; Tevas for kayaking, Privo flip-flops, Birkenstocks for walking and don’t even ask about the regular shoe collection, or the boots for fall, or the running shoes or hiking boots or slippers or dolly-dress-up shoes…
The shoe topic all by itself is enough to make one realize the disparity in our different worlds. We don’t even need to talk about other ‘stuff’ at this point.
Just think about your footwear and then look at this young man’s only pair of shoes.
Told you gratitude was easy to cultivate…
These shoes look sturdy and well made. It is good that the Maasai wear them as walking bare foot can be hazardous and sometimes dangerous.
I loved seeing these shoes too. They seemed like metaphors for how I saw the people there: strong and purposeful.
In my opinion is important to mantain costumes why maasai should change the way of dressing? they should go to school with their cororeful shuka and necklaces
I am sorry you think my posting meant that the Maasai should change their way of dress. That is not what I meant at all.
I love that they are staying true to their original way of dress. I was writing about how we (in North America) have so, so much, including a ridiculous number of shoes for every occasion. I like this particular photo because of the beauty and strength it embodies in both the shoes and the strong feet in them.