THE KENYAN MAASAI MARKET.

AFRICAS LARGEST MARKET (BY TRONY V.INGATI

Growing up as young girl in Kenya, I thought it good to be able to acquire little pieces of handy-crafts that I could call my own. Bangles, black dolls, rings, anklets, weaved baskets, a parrot house and so forth.
To me these things expressed the African way of life and failure to have them meant that I was not such a happy girl at the end of the day. In order to keep this feel good attitude, my mother took me to trips across Africa to get whatever it is that would make me happy.
But of all the African countries that I visited none seemed to be resourceful as the Massai Market, (Africa’s largest handy-craft market.)
The Maasai market is situated in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Operating three times a week, in different locations (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday). It provides a good shopping experience for anyone who wants to get everything African.
Carvings of all sorts can be found in this place. Long legged giraffes and Maasai morans (Warriors) carvings fly whisks, crockery, cutlery, and pottery, thousands of batiks to pick form, jewelry and antiques. Whatever it is you are looking for you will find in this market.
An interesting aspect that I have discovered is that every time I spent shopping with my mother in the market for accessories there were always new designs that would make me stand in awe while shopping. So every time you shop you are bound to find something new again and again.
As for other small curio shops you are not unlikely to find plenty of versatility. The creations maybe well selected but not an adequate variety to pick from when it comes to making a choice that will make you fully satisfied at the end of the day.
When looking for good bargains in the Maasai markets, it would do you good to look through very carefully. Get the personal contact of the dealer or the maker of what you are buying, in case you need more supply, a repair on damaged goods and so forth.
The Maasai market traders are very friendly and it will be easy to communicate with them as you carry out with your purchases. However be very careful not to let your friendly nature take toll for they might end up selling their curios at a high price that might not be very pleasing to you as a tourist. If you happen to visit the Maasai market with a local guide and have difficulty throughout your communication while trying to buy something you like, you could ask for assistance from the guide and have them negotiate a good price for you.
Once in the Maasai market grub all you can for it is bountiful with Africa’s finest handy-works. The ‘A Must Buy’ would be the sandals. With a wide variety to pick from you will find yourself getting accustomed to the Kenyan way of life. The fabric painted batiks is another in the category hence worth retaining. Mostly, colorful and well painted they will be great looking on a frame up your wall when you return back home.
It has been years and indeed my mind has eaten up enough dust all around in my travels through Africa. No matter where I go or how far I am from home (Kenya) nothing beats the inspiration for creative hands in artistry of sorts that tends to fill me up to completeness with the variety that the Maasai market offers.
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Ugandan's The Happiest In East Africa

When one asks you where or not you are happy, what would you reply be? I guess that would depend on a number of factors, imagined or real. A recent study done by the University of Michigan's institute of Social Research in over 91 countries uncovered a number of startling revelations although others were obvious.
In this global survey, it was discovered that in more open societies where the powers that be allowed their citizenry to make free choices regarding life, the people were happier.
This was the case with Uganda, where its citizens were found to be more happier than those within the East African region. It was found that on a 1-10 scales, Ugandans scored 5.1 (0.69 ) coming in at position 70 where as Tanzania scored 0.13 at position 78, Rwanda 0.31 at position 81.
This is a statistic that many Ugandans will agree with given that a close survey of the life of most people especially in the urban areas will reveal that Ugandans, especially the fairly well to do middle class are given to "going out" a lot. There are huge number of night clubs, bars and restaurants. In fact in Kampala city all the roads leading out of the city center into the suburbs are lined with bars, with an average of 100m from one another. Bars and restaurants are a thriving business in the country. This is evident in the increase in weight by most Uganda's especially the younger generation.
Psychologists though state that happiness is a state of the mind and is not so much related to how much wealth one has. It is argued that there are those with huge sums of money who are not happy at all. Where as there are those that are broke and quite happy.
Dr Ronald Inglehart who conducted the study shows that there are more happy people in the world today than a decade or so back. He also said the increased happiness is not due to increased wealth.
This study points out Denmark as the happiest nation in the world, with Zimbabwe coming in on the other end. A fact that is evidently due to the political climate in the country at the moment.
This increase in political freedom though still wanting in some respects has led to an increase in the number of tourists coming to Uganda, despite the fact that it is a landlocked country.
Uganda has also seen an increase in the number of international conferences the hugest being CHOGM, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in 2007, and more recently the IOC the International Islamic Organisation Conference.
Dr Inglehart said that the results prove that it is societies that have and practice the freedom of choice that are the happiest.

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