Every Maasai man, at some point in his life, makes a profound and meaningful choice: he selects another Maasai man as his “friend for life.” This is not a decision taken lightly, for the bond will be unbreakable, sacred, and genuine. It is much more than simple friendship: it is a brotherhood of the soul, a lifelong companion, someone with whom to share joys, sorrows, and even silences.
To celebrate this special union, the community gathers for a great feast, intense and moving, almost like a wedding: a moment of collective joy that honors the value of deep friendship—the kind that lasts forever.
Being chosen as a “friend for life” is an immense honor, so profound that it cannot be refused. What makes this tradition even more extraordinary is its sense of uniqueness and respect.
The one who is chosen cannot, in turn, choose the person who has chosen him. When his time comes, he must extend this same gesture of deep friendship to another person, so that the bond may expand like a circle that unites the community.
LORBAAK ceremony
During the LORBAAK ceremony, which unfolds over two days, one breathes an intensity difficult to capture in words. The protagonist wears on his head a real lion’s mane: a solemn gesture, rich with meaning, rooted in an ancient tradition passed down from generation to generation. It is much more than an ornament—it is a sacred symbol, a living part of the spiritual heritage of the Maasai people.
The family of the celebrant prepares to welcome the friend for life, together with his family and the other guests, amidst ancestral songs and dances that resonate in the heart and echo across the savannah like a call to the collective memory of the people.
The host family prepares for the arrival of the guests: each woman wears her finest jewelry, and everyone bustles about to ensure a warm welcome. The guests, arriving in procession on motorbikes and/or cars, announce themselves by honking their horns in unison, circling around the cattle enclosure a few times. Excitement builds, and the women, once busy with preparations, gather in the courtyard, beginning to sing and dance to welcome the guests.
The emotional intensity is already high, and when the car finally stops, the women of the visiting family step out singing and gather together, starting to dance as they slowly join the other women. In this way, the festivities are officially set in motion, through rituals brimming with vitality for the occasion.
Meanwhile, the meeting between the two friends is a moment filled with emotion and solemnity: with the mane upon his head and a proud gaze, one friend welcomes the other, and together they walk toward the savannah, followed by a small procession of men, to gather a young tree, called ESITETI in the Maa language.
This gesture—uprooting and holding the young tree together—marks the initiation and the very heart of the ritual: there, in the sacred silence of nature, they exchange a prayer, a mutual promise that forever seals their bond. It is a covenant of brotherhood and eternal friendship.
The procession then returns to the BOMA, the heart of the Maasai village. From that moment on, the two friends will never part throughout the entire ceremony (two days). With the young tree beside them, they share every step, every word, every emotion. They sleep side by side, bound by an invisible thread woven of respect, friendship, and tradition. During these two days, no one may literally come between them.
On each day of the celebration, animals are sacrificed early in the morning—an ancient and symbolic gesture. Food is then shared with everyone who arrives, whether invited or not, Maasai or non-Maasai: all are welcome, and with everyone is shared what is most precious—food and drink.
For the Maasai, the act of killing an animal is deeply significant, a true sacrifice made for the benefit of the family and the community. A cow can feed many people, and absolutely nothing of the animal is wasted (whether cow, goat, or sheep). Everything is eaten and used.
The entire community takes part in the feast, but a special portion of the meat is reserved exclusively for the two friends for life, destined only for those who celebrate this sacred rite.
The celebration continues amid hypnotic sounds and rhythmic dances. Young men, adorned with splendid beaded jewelry, gather in a circle and challenge one another with spectacular jumps, soaring toward the sky as if trying to touch it. The women, dressed in colorful garments and ceremonial headdresses, dance gracefully to the rhythm of their voices and the GILINGILI—the jingling ornaments they wear that accompany every movement. Their voices, interwoven in melodic chants, create a harmony that vibrates in the air like a hymn to life.
The atmosphere is magical—filled with joy, laughter, pride, and a profound sense of belonging. A moment suspended in time, where everything speaks of bond, identity, and memory.
Even just describing these moments, I can feel the atmosphere and the energy that pervade these days of celebration. I would love for my loved ones to take part in these festivities, to share in this great energy and emotion.
Curiosity
In the past, Maasai warriors hunted lions and other predators to protect their livestock and communities. From each lion, the mane was preserved as a sign of bravery and protection—an inheritance still present today in the most solemn rituals.
The Maasai people are deeply proud of their traditions, which have remained strongly rooted over the years, and the government of Tanzania is in the process of recognizing as national heritage the Maasai garment known as SHUKA in Swahili and ENAN’GAN in the Maa language.
Fortunately, hunting is now forbidden, and lions—today one of the symbols of tourism in Tanzania and among the famous Big Five—are protected within national parks.
Safaris attract thousands of visitors every year, and lions rarely approach the villages, unlike elephants, which, with their immense strength, often break into villages and homes—as recently happened in the village near mine, fortunately without causing harm to people or property.
I am fortunate to live in the heart of the savannah, surrounded by some of Tanzania’s most extraordinary national parks: Manyara National Park, Saadani, and the magnificent Mkomazi. Here, every day, nature and culture intertwine in a story that never ceases to amaze. I could speak endlessly about all of this and about how grateful I am to the universe for granting me this wonderful life experience.
