This picture of the Masai is one of thousands my husband took while on a trip to Kenya in 2008. Imagesof safari, of crowded Nairobi streets, of eager hosts gathering the guests around the table, of excited children playing, and of people of all ages gathered together to worship. Each picture captured the energy and personality of the people and places to which his group traveled.
Yet the picture of the Masi warrior is one that struck me as a contrast between the old and the new. Between the past and the present. Very recognizable in his tribal attire, he conveyed strength. The picture could have been taken in any decade, but for the cell phone in his hand.
Moran (2014) explained the impact that telecommunications has had in Africa. Poor roads and unreliable energy, when mixed together with political instability and corruption, meant the wiring of landlines was impossible. Now, Africans are connected to one another and the world in a whole new way. Even in the plains of the Masai Mara National Reserve, cell towers were disguised as trees so as to not detract from the beauty of the area while still providing the needed connection to the outside.
This photo also speaks to the African optimism highlighted by Moran (2014). “They may not be the richest, but Africans remain the staunchest optimists” (Moran, 2014, p. 508). Children excitedly playing games with bottle caps rather than the latest Nintendo. Pastors thrilled by the gift of a bicycle to travel from one town to the next. Women infectiously smiling while preparing dinner using equipment that barely meets American standards for camping out.
Sixty percent of Africans believe that the present year will be better than the last (Moran, 2014). How many Americans can say the same?
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge.
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