An Olympics at the foot of Africa's highest peak
The 2018 Maasai Olympics drew hundreds of warriors, or morans, to the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro to compete in the sporting event that is now an alternative to the traditional custom of killing a lion as a rite of passage.
Arriving in style
A Maasai moran athlete rides in a truck to meet rival athletes at the Sidai Oleng Wildlife Sanctuary, at the base of Mt.Kilimanjaro, venue of the 2018 Maasai Olympics Games. This bi-annual event is the fourth since its inauguration in 2012.
How far can you throw?
A Maasai moran from the Mbirikani manyatta, a Maasai word for settlements, throws a javelin in the 2018 Maasai Olympics held at the base of Mt.Kilimanjaro on the border between Kenya and Tanzania. In previous years, the javelin would have been a spear used to kill a lion.
Defying gravity
Tipape Lekatoo, a Maasai Olympic athlete from the Mbirikani manyatta, takes to the air in their traditional high-jump competition. Usually, Maasai men take great pride in jumping high during traditional singing and dancing. What better way to show that than during their Olympics.
Facial make-up before the games
During preparations for the Maasai Olympics, competitors take their time to smear their faces with red ocher paint. For the Maasai people, facial make-up takes different meanings depending on the occasion. In this case, it’s obviously about competition and intimidating the other opponent.
Battleground Kilimanjaro
The 2018 Maasai Olympics was held at the base of Mt.Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. The mountain, which straddles Kenya and Tanzania is at the heart of the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Celebrating the victors
Maasai morans from the Mbirikani manyatta were declared winners of the 2018 Maasai Olympics. They beat out morans from Rombo, Kuku and Elsengelei manyattas. The women (pictured) celebrate the victors with song and dance. In two years time, the defeated warriors will have another chance to claim glory.