Describe The Lineage Economic System and Relations of Production among the Maasai

The relations of production among the Maasai functioned on the basis of reciprocity and
the role of seniority as an ideology. Land, water, salt licks and pastures were owned
communally. Livestock was grazed and protected communally but owned individually on
the family unit basis. The elders seniority was derived from their genealogy, age and the
amount of wealth i.e. livestock and human resources that they controlled or owned.

The community had age and gender divisions of labour determined and controlled by the
elders. The warriors – Morans herded the mature stock far away from homesteads while
the younger boys tended calves next to the homesteads (Manyattas). Women did the
milking, food preparation and other domestic chores.

Elders promoted the warriors from one age set to the next and determined their time of
marriage. To marry the Junior Moran was expected to have done the following:
1) Killed a lion single-handedly.
Although this acted as a test for courage and endurance, it was also a measure
to reduce the lion population that fed on the Maasai livestock i.e. this
emphasizes the economic importance of cultural activities.
2) Participated in several successful raids and brought home several head of
livestock. The economic dimension in the raids was stressed since cattle played
a crucial role in the maasai economy eg used in the payment of dowry etc.
3) Participated in defensive warfare against enemy attacks.
4) Graduated from military training with proven competence in both offensive and
defensive warfare.
5) Completed full initiation rites.

The stock kept was geared for domestic consumption, exchange and for the reproduction
of the social formation. Livestock was exchanged for iron tools, salt, pottery etc. from the
Kikuyu, Kamba, Gusii, Chagga etc. Both the elderly women and men organized the
exchange process which strengthened their control over the food distribution and
accumulation processes within the Maasai economy.

The elders had extensive knowledge about livestock breeds and productivity which they
divulged to the younger men only when they graduated into Junior elders. Details
pertaining to stock diseases, their prevention, treatment and the control of tsetseflies were
a secret possessed and protected by the elders. These ritualistic powers added strength to
their seniority and control over the factors of production. The dreaded curse kept errant
youths under control.

Some scholars e.g. Anderson, D.M. (1983), Galaty (1982) and Evangelou P. (1984) have
criticized pioneering scholars on Maasai history e.g. Jacobs A.H. (1965 and 1968) as
having evaded the issue of appropriation. They argue that the elders appropriated surplus
product from the warriors/morans by re-possessing all the livestock raided by the
warriors. They argue that though the elders gave the warriors dowry for marriage, this did
not encase the accumulated wealth in the form of livestock multiplicity. In this sense
therefore the elders appropriated a surplus product from the labour power of warriors to
enrich themselves.

This is part of the role of seniority and ideology control institutions among the Maasai.
Thus, like the agriculturalists who gave surplus produce to lineage elders, the warriors
surrendered livestock which concretized the elders control over the factors and forces of
production within the Maasai lineage economic system.

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Titany answered the question on December 8, 2021 at 07:15