Maasai bomas (houses), kraals (fences) and manyattas (villages) are built of materials found in the local area. The Maasai collect mud, cow manure,  sticks, thorns and dried grass to make them.

Bomas - sticks are used to form the 'walls' of the house. A mixture of mud, straw and cow manure is used overtop to 'plaster' the sticks which when it is dried turns hard. More sticks are then placed ontop of the walls making a pointed cone, which is then covered in dried grass to form the roof.

Kraals - Sticks and thorns are put at different angles in the ground forming a large circle around the Manyatta to stop wild animals entering the village. A small gap is left in the fence to allow people to come and go and is patrolled by Maasai warriors. Smaller circles are built inside the Manyatta as 'pens' for the cattle and goats.

Activity

Make your own modal Maasai boma or manyatta. You can either do this:

The Traditional way: collect twigs and dried grass/straw from your local area and use clay or mud to form the walls of the house.

Use Paper and Cardboard: cut a toliet roll in half to use for the base of the house and make a paper cone to go ontop for the roof. Use strips of cardboard or felt tip pens/paint to draw on the straw/mud. Make a fence out of cardboard or paper to go round the edge of the village. 

Challenge

Take a photo of your modal Boma or Manyatta and turn it into an annotated drawing with arrows and labels explaining the different parts of the design.