The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, near the African Great Lakes region. The Maasai speak the Maa language, a member of the Nilotic language family that is related to the Dinka, Kalenjin and Nuer languages. Except for some elders living in rural areas, most Maasai people speak the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania, Swahili and English.
A gathering of Maasais in 2005
Maasai man
Maasai warriors in German East Africa, c. 1906–1918
Maasai people and huts with enkang barrier in foreground - eastern Serengeti, 2006
The Nilotic peoples are people indigenous to the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, the eastern border area of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Among these are the Burun-speaking peoples, Teso people also known as Iteso or people of Teso, Karo peoples, Luo peoples, Ateker peoples, Kalenjin peoples, Karamojong people also known as the Karamojong or Karimojong, Datooga, Dinka, Nuer, Atwot, Lotuko, and the Maa-speaking peoples.
Maasai men in Ngorongoro, Tanzania
A Nubian head from the New Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt, circa 1295 –1070 BC
Politician John Garang (Dinka) amongst Nilotic supporters in South Sudan
Mount Elgon, referred by Kalenjin as Tulwop Kony, a common Kalenjin point of origin