Both men and women wear colorful dilations ears to an inch in length at the bottom of the ear , and the diameter of a dime on the top, which tend to decorate with wood and colored beads. The Maasai craft is remarkable , especially in terms of textiles, wood carvings, hematite beads and ornaments . They usually wear a knotted fabric on the shoulders of bright colors , usually red with geometric designs on other pieces of clothing . Collect a large number of ritual dances and songs , which made ??against tourists in exchange for money and other economic benefits . Usually not be photographed unless they are granted a small fee as compensation. The physical characteristics of the Masai , mainly of Sudanese origin , favored them for military activities , as they are tall, strong and extremely agile people. The Maasai , well aware of having a beautiful , lavishly adorn your body with elegance and coquetry , using bold beaded necklaces , bracelets , earrings curiously correspond with the cut of the ear of an ox or a drawing with brand marking their livestock. The clan of blacksmiths provides women with brass rings are placed in rows on the arms . The Maasai are an estimated 883000 individuals in a village . They speak Maa , an Eastern Nilotic language. Most keep their traditional religion , although some have adopted some Christian form . They are nomadic herders who live in the open plains of southeastern Kenya ( east of Narok and Namanga ) and northeastern Tanzania. His life and culture revolve around their cattle, their wealth and move to wherever the conditions are best for their cattle . In the middle of S. XIX wielded significant power in the area. Were feared as they dominated the rest of the peoples of East Africa , they had the best pastures and practiced without resistance kidnapping and theft. But clashes with neighboring tribes and severe droughts this influence dwindled . With the British colonization of Africa in the early twentieth century began to pressure the people, that abandon their traditional way of life, but the Maasai showed their opposition. The British government bought huge tracts of its territory. Rinderpest , brought by the English, affected and killed livestock . Later Kenya and Tanzania tried to abandon herding and integrated into the culture of their respective countries as farmers. Today continue to ignore regulations, laws or official mandates to change their customs, prohibiting them to be warriors or require them to pay taxes.