If you believe as I do that it is an accident that we were even born, that who we think we are is a result of what we have experienced and been told, and it is a gigantic stroke of luck that we exist in America and have plenty of money by world standards, it is a good exercise to ponder how you would have fared if you were born a Masai, as opposed to a Jew or catholic or wasp or atheist in America.  I don’t believe we can change our stripes much, and we certainly don’t “deserve” what we have by any argument except reincarnation.  I believe a Masai baby adopted into a Jewish family at birth will be Jewish, and vice versa.

I would like to think that I would decide that the Masai way doesn’t make much sense.  I would probably tolerate the hot wire burning of the circle on the cheek around 4-5 years of age without much thought.  But since I began to rebel against going to the church of Christ, and the first baptist church around 10,  I  think I may have rebelled against the circumcision with no anesthesia at 13 as well. Especially since it is a big ceremony.  I’m not that fond of big ceremonies. Skipped high school and college graduation.

If I did end up in the ceremony,  I probably would have been kicked out of the tribe for lack of composure and stoicism.  Then I might have gone into the imported animal business, or set up a fine restaurant serving guinea fowl, gazelle,Egyptian goose and warthog.

And maybe I would have been successful, or perhaps I would have been miserable with no belief system  and no culture to feel comfortable in.

Guide Ami told us that Tanzania has had 2 Masai prime ministers.  He tells me they stayed in the presidential palace, and not cow dung huts.  He says there are many Masai he knows of that have become very rich.  Chief Patrick , however said that he had no relative in the US, didn’t know of any Masai in the US and new of none who had become world famous.

As for James,  I feel he has been extraordinarily unlucky,born into his lot.  I feel guilty that I was born with four aces by twist of fate.  Don’t know what to do about it though.

One thing confirmed: it is better to be lucky than good

Jambo mambo