Monday, October 05, 2009

The name Serengeti comes from the Massai word " Serenget"referring to an " endless plain".As you stand on the southern grass plains ,you experience this vastness,and can witness one of the greatest concentrations of plain animals left on earth. The plains were formed 3-4 millions years ago when ash blown from volcanoes in the Ngorongoro highlands covered the rolling scapes the early beginning ,man and wild life have shared this magical place.These tribes ---- Massais--- like to live with wild animals ,their whole life------- ,rituals,diet,clothes ,social life and life style revolves around lions,cows,wilderbeasts etc.We went to see their village.They were all ready to welcome us.They were dressed in very bright red and yellow long apparels with lot of jewellery of bright colored beads and metal.They live in mud and straw huts with lots of cow-dung and flies.Place was stinking but these people were very happy.One of their young men had been to New York when he was a teenager,and we asked him as to weather he would like to live there.he told us that he will like to stay and live in his village with his animals .They could all speak English but very happy in their dirty environment.We were told that these people even drink the raw blood of cows.They puncture one vein near the neck of the cow and drain out the blood and it forms the part of their diet.They showed us their Tribal dance .They have a small market where they sell their art and handicrafts .We also went inside their huts---- no cots,chairs ,beds or any other modern amenities of life.it was really amazing as to how these people were living in such hostile surroundings and still seemed so happy and satisfied.