Childhood Play in Maasai Society

The landscape of play in Maasai childhood, focusing on local perceptions and practices across generations, is investigated in this chapter. Based on 295 instances of play, collected through participant observation of children and interviews with adults, it examines Maasai childhood play from several perspectives. These include local terminology for play, methods of play, time and place for playing, materials used, playmates, the value placed on play, and changes across generations. Macrolevel mapping emphasizes the rich landscape of play, contrasting with the “sparse play life” of pastoralist children noted in previous studies. It also highlights the ambiguous relationship between work and play of Maasai children, an integral aspect of pastoralist child development that warrants further exploration.