Let's Go on a Lion Hunt!
This week I’m turning my story telling over to David Kupai Senchura, my Maasai guide extraordinaire on the Mara Game Reserve. We set our goal one morning to visit the Musiara Marsh Pride of lions. This group became famous when they were documented in 2006 – 2008 by Jonathan & Angela Scott in the film, The Big Cats Diary.
Kupai and I had a blast for four days on our game drives. You will get a sense of his enthusiasm as a guide and love of his indigenous roots in this 3 minute video. I highlight parts of the story below.
On the way to the marsh, we met Maasai herders heading out to graze their sheep for the day. The Maasai co-exist with wildlife on the reserve. Imagine taking your animals out on the savannah knowing there are hungry lions in the vicinity.
I do my best to learn Maa and Swahili words when I’m on safari. In the video Kupai corrects me when we pass people on a motorbike, a common form of transportation for locals. I thought this was a piki piki. Kupai explained this motorbike is a boda boda – a taxi!
We celebrated the storm clouds and curtains of rain on the horizon. Rain is always a blessing and was overdue on the Mara. It was a short downpour that cleared up quickly. I wasn’t worried about getting stuck in the mud because Kupai is a great driver. With a grin he reminded me – he is THE BEST driver! He proved this several times during the 4 days we travelled together.
We found the Marsh Pride sleeping off a feast from the previous night. The King of the pride is known as Half Tail. He lost part of his tail in a fight, but that has not diminished his regal presence.
Half Tail’s face was scratched from the night’s action. He strolled by us looking tired and full, then settled down on a mound to sleep the day away like a big pussy cat. It’s not unusual to come across a pride of comatose lions fast asleep on the Mara after a successful hunt.
The cubs, on the other hand, had lots of energy. Like typical kids they wrestled and played while their parents recovered from the night shift. Rambunctious lion cubs are an endless source of entertainment.
The Maasai have co-existed with lions for centuries. Pastoralists, they are proud stewards of the land, they do not eat wild meat. Indigenous cultures have a lot to teach us about living in harmony with nature.