Pastoral Maasai drawing cow's blood into a calabash, Olengaitoli village, Kenya

"The Maasai (Masai) are unique among East African pastoralists in their cultural choice to live exclusively of pastoral foods. They attempt to subsist on a diet solely consisting of the milk, meat and blood of their domestic stock. Their dietary ideal excludes, and their entire culture strongly devaluates, all plants food and game meat." [Kaj Arhem, 1987: Milk, Meat and Blood. Working Papers in African Studies, University of Uppsala.]. "Pure pastoralism is no longer a reality for most Maasai. More and more the traditional milk and meat diet occasionally supplemented with blood is being combined with maize, potatoes, beans and other vegetable foods. The main reason for this is that because of population growth, environmental degradation and land alienation, Maasai are no longer able to keep enough animals to feed themselves." [Klumpp D., 1987: Maasai Art and Society:Age and Sex, Time and Space, Cash and Cattle. U.M.I Dissertation Service]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.