Ngong’u Narok village, Amboseli
The Ngong’u Narok village has been involved in tourism reform for the past decade, and has been a leader in developing respectful, mutually beneficial relationships with tourists to Maasailand. The village was a pioneer in the development of cultural bomas, villages that welcome tourists to visit, buy beads directly from Maasai women, and learn about Maasai life first hand. Cultural bomas have become a fixture throughout Maasailand, but the original intent, to create understanding between tourists and Maasai people and help Maasai people sell beads directly, without the interference of middlemen, has become corrupted—for more information, please see “A Scandal in Maasailand”. Under the leadership of Daniel Leturesh and others, Ngong’u Narok continues to forge relationships in spite of the challenges. The village has initiated a region wide beading cooperative, to share profits and promote the common good. It has developed an educational program for visitors, and is happy to receive suggestions and discuss collaborations.
Gold Atlas Expeditions
Gold Atlas is the only Maasai owned safari company operating in Kenya. It is a small, owner-operated company that contributes in many ways to the well-being of Maasai communities by sharing resources and refusing to participate in the exploitative aspects of tourism. Because the company represents the community, it is able to provide tourists with the opportunity to learn about Maasai culture and society through the perspective of people committed to respectful cross cultural understanding.
