The Maasai people of East Africa have a unique and distinct culture that has made them the most well-known ethic group in Kenya and Tanzania. Their rich heritage has been passed orally from generation to generation.

In the Maasai community knowledge comes in diverse ways; from the wisdom of an elder who understands the cycle of life and when rain will come, to the logic of medicine men who have dispensed their herbal medicine from time immemorial.

Knowledge also comes from the pastoral nomad who is capable of recovering his lot animals by reading subtle animal tracks brushed into the dust or from the traditional midwife who is able to remedy a traverse fetus without having seen the door of a classroom. The ability to fix broken bones of both livestock and humans is yet another remarkable form of rich indigenous knowledge. Maasai indigenous knowledge is the backbone of collective existence.

Surprisingly to no credit the Maasai woman has been the preserver, the guardian and the protector of the culture and traditions. She is the professor of language and makes sure that it is transmitted to future generations. She is the architect and contractor of the family's dwelling place  However this valuable traditional knowledge remains caged in their owners minds and risks demise with the holder's passing away. Maasai women produce the artifacts of high quality and of good finish. They own nothing but their artifacts and household tools.

Unfortunately when a Maasai wise man/woman passes away, a library and a knowledge system goes with him or her. Like many oral traditions, Maasai knowledge has suffered from this fate.