President William Ruto graced the Maa Cultural Week festival on Friday, November 8, 2024. The festival started on November 6, 2024, and will culminate in a closing ceremony on Saturday, November 9, 2024.

The Maa Cultural Week brings together the communities from the counties of Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, and Njemps in Baringo and those who are in Nakuru and Laikipia, which form the Maasai language-speaking groups in Kenya.

The festival which is taking place at the Samburu National Reserve aims to display the rich culture of the Maa people which entails their music, poetry, dances, story-telling, food and art, among other activities.

Second Maa Culture Fest

This year’s festival marks the second of its kind since the inaugural Maa Cultural Week was organised by the Maa economic bloc comprising of Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu and Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit.

In a statement on November 8, 2024, Narok Governor Ole Ntutu said the festival seeks to preserve the Maa culture in its various forms for future generations.

“The festival seeks to fulfil the aspirations of the National Policy on Culture and Heritage as informed by Article 11 of the Constitution, which recognizes culture as the foundation of the nation and as the cumulative civilization of Kenya’s people,” Ntutu said.

Adding: “The Maa Cultural Week is more than a celebration—it’s an opportunity to preserve our customs, from language and attire to music, dance, and oral history, ensuring they remain vibrant for generations to come.”

The week-long annual festival seeks to display the rich Maa culture by bringing together the various Maa-speaking communities in their performance, exhibitions and networking.

Bolster trade

Similarly, the festival aims to provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation among the Maa communities with the rest of the counties and International partners.

Last year’s Maa Cultural Week was attended by top government officials including President William Ruto, impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and ousted United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party former Secretary-General Cleophas Malalah, among others.

The event was hosted at Narok County’s Sekenani in the Maasai Mara National Park.

Sports activities including jumping, throwing sticks, javelin and wrestling will dominate a large chunk of the time allocated for activities during the festivals.

Additionally, the festivals will also feature an elaborate fashion show with the display of headgear, bracelets, ornaments and other cultural artefacts.