Under their outfits we could see nasty tribal scars and rippling muscles. Samburu warriors are called morani in their native, Maa language. They are responsible for protecting the village and its cattle. At about age 15, they are initiated into this phase of adulthood in a ceremony that, until recently, involved killing a lion. For five years after their intiation, they live a life of hardship.
Young warriors live outside the village and can never eat in the presence of a woman.
Instead, they eat what they can find or kill in the bush. The group of young warriors must do almost everything together. Even getting something as basic as drinking water can be a difficult task. We wanted to introduce the warriors to American kids as part of a live video conference we hold each week with 53 schools in Iowa. Before our video conference, they lined up orderly.