Most Stylish Maasai Tribe Cultural Wear (2023)

The Maasai tribe cultural wear is a symbolic clothing of the people’s pastoralist lifestyle, their ethnic group membership, and the social positions in the life of Maasai people. Maasai tribes spread across Tanzania and Kenya and they are quite receptive of visitors and tourists in their villages.

From the lifecycle of the Maasai people, they are able to decide what roles and responsibilities should be given to each member at any stage of their live. These stages, they mark with varying cultural wears.

Jewelry pieces and not only the clothing can be used to differentiate a male from a female, a married man from a bachelor, a married woman from a spinster, and their respective age grades.

As a symbol of group identity, a given Maasai traditional clothing is worn by people of the same age sets and or social status. Even when the clothing looks the same, a variety of symbols are used to mark the group differences.

For instance, young men in the Maasai tribe wear black for several months after their circumcision. Red is worn for special events. Blue, black, striped, multicolored, and the checkered clothing styles are also worn.

In the 1960s, the Maasai people began replacing their initial animal skin, calf hides and sheep skin clothes with commercial cotton clothing.

The language of the Maasai people is Maa and the Maa word for the sheets traditionally wrapped around the body is Shúkà. These wrappers are usually red, however you may find blue sheets and some in plaid or floral patterns. In some instances, you will find their Maasai sheets referred to as “Maasaishuka”.

Maasai people in the coastal regions may wear Kikoi, a multicolored type of sarong that comes in many different textiles; but most commonly, the striped pattern. One piece garments called Kanga, in Swahili are common among Maasai men.

Below are pictures of the Maasai Tribe Cultural Wears that you can take fashion inspos from.