Lion hunting has become fun, dangerous, and a tradition. What most people don’t know is why the warriors are hunting lions. Instead of hunting for trophies, the young warriors have to go through this rite of passage.
The Maasai tribe thinks that hunting lions shows that they have accomplished something and are brave. There was a time when there were a lot of lions and people encouraged people to hunt them alone.
Since there aren’t as many lions anymore, warriors are more likely to go hunting as a group. Olamayio was able to grow when he learned to hunt with a group of lions.
Warriors also can’t hunt lions that are poisoned, caught in traps, or dying from lack of water or food. People believe that female lions bring life into the world, so they can’t be hunted unless they pose a threat to people or livestock.
The Maasai warriors are expected to show how good they are at fighting during this lion hunt. At the end of the age set, which usually happens after 10-15 years of cloaking, the warriors can count how many lions they have killed.
Warriors no longer have to show how brave and skilled they are at hunting. Instead, they throw javelins for cash prizes at the Maasai Olympics.
They got rid of the old way of hunting lions, which involved killing animals. Now, they protect the animals and live with them in peace.