A few days ago OlenKotomindia was chosen as the “Oleguanani”, the Spokesman and Leader of the Molelian clan. The Maasai people are divided into many different clans. Clan members live throughout Maasai country and form a kind of extended family. Among the Maasai a man may not marry a girl of his own clan. The court of final appeal for such things as inheritance is the clan so the clan leader is a very important position and has a lot of prestige connected to it.

The feast of investiture for the new clan leader was a very big deal. Clan members from far and wide contributed cattle and goats to be slaughtered for the feast. Lesser Molelian clan leaders from all over Tanzania and Kenya gather for the investiture of their new leader. Molelian men and beautifully dressed women, many dressing elaborate skin cloaks participated bringing intricately beaded gourds of fresh and curdled milk. Two huge oxen and 18 goats were slaughtered and honey beer brewed.

The first order of the day was a solemn blessing of OlenKotomindia by the clan leaders with much prayer and aspersions of milk and honey beer. He was then given a ceremonial “Olrinka”, a ceremonial stick of authority. The clan presented him with a heifer signing the blessings they wished for him. He was clothed with a beautiful new blanket and finally presented with a five gallon container of honey.

The next day the new clan spokesman sat with other Molelian elders drinking beer and receiving their advice. Finally, after some weeks he will undertake a journey to visit his Molelian constituents through Maasai country.