African Art

The Massai are one of the most famous African ethnic people known today.  Living in southern Kenya and North central Tanzania these tall graceful people dress in many varieties of red and seem to refuse against all pressures to settle down to a village or agricultural life believing it a sin to cultivate land, as it is considered ruined for grazing after cultivation.  They are nomadic and live by herding cattle and goats.  Money is not as important to them, instead they use cattle as a sign of wealth.  Instead of villages the Massai build temporary corrals where the woman construct huts of clay, these are lived in for a little while and then abandoned.  

The Massai are a very communal people, and from a very young age children are divided into age groups to which they remain faithful to throughout their life.  The boys and girls are kept together until the girls reach puberty, at which time they are immediately married off to men at least 2 age groups ahead of them.  Men advance through different divisions in their age group hoping to achieve the status of a warrior.  Traditionally, the only way to achieve this status is to single handily kill a lion with a spear. 

Known for their elaborate beadwork, the Massai seem to be obsessed with red, they rub red dye all over their bodies and also cover themselves in elaborate red beadwork.  This beadwork is very famous and is one of the most common things which they trade.  The patterns of the beads identify different age groups of the Massai and many times young men will cover themselves in beads.  Another art form of the Massai is hair braiding.  Most Massai will spend days doing elaborate hair designs.  Men will sometimes grow their hair into huge braids similar to the women.  Here is some Massai African Art.

Wednesday’s Recipe

Dorowat - Ethiopian Spicy Braised Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Paprika
• 1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger Root
• 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Clove
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 2 Medium Chopped Onions
• 2 Minced Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
• 3 Pounds Broiled Chicken, cut up
• 1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine

Start off by making the red pepper sauce first, to do this combine tomato sauce,paprika,1/4 cup red wine, grated ginger root , red pepper, cardamom , nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Set red pepper sauce aside

Next, In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender but not brown. Stir in red pepper sauce, turmeric, and 1 tsp. of salt. Add chicken pieces to skillet. Spoon onion mixture over chicken pieces, bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat . cover; simmer about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup dry red wine. Cook uncovered about 15 min.; turn chicken pieces often . skim off fat . Serve with Ethiopian flat bread.