The Maasai people are one of the most well-known tribes that have kept and preserved their cultural practices and traditional tribal way of life alive throughout the ages.
They reside in the northeast of Tanzania in the region of Arusha, and their presence extends to the west of Kenya. Their lives depend on herding cows, where they represent not only a symbol of wealth but their main source of income.
The women of the Maasai specialize in handicrafts using colorful beads, which are not for decoration only but represent social symbols that denote status and age.
Today, with the development of the modern economy, the youth of the Maasai aim for touristic spots, such as Zanzibar, to sell their handicrafts. This provides both an opportunity to earn another source of income and share their culture with people from around the world.
Tanzania is most famous for the cultivation of coffee beans. This series explores the journey of the coffee bean until it reaches the coffee cup, through visiting a generational coffee bean farm, where son, father, and grandfather work together.
This farm also has a unique beehive, housing a small species of bees “Stingless Bees” , whose job is to pollinate the coffee bean flowers.
When the fruit ripens and acquires a bright red color, it is carefully picked; then begins the process of separating the rind from the beans, then roasting them and finally packing them.
You can see the mother and daughter weaving the coffee bean packing bags, reflecting how the family works together in all stages of production.