Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost grazing lands.

Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost grazing lands.

Ans.

(i) In the late 19th century, European imperialists divided Africa among themselves. In 1885, Maasailand was divided between British Kenya and German Tanganyika.

(ii) As a result, the best grazing lands were taken over by the European colonists. The Maasai were pushed into a small area which was arid and had poor pastures.

(iii) In the late 19th century, the British encouraged local peasants communities to expand cultivation which reduced the amount of pasture land available.

(iv) Large areas of grazing land were also turned into game reserves like the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya and Serengeti Park in Tanzania.

(v) Very often these reserves were in areas that had traditionally been the regular grazing ground for Maasai herd.