Three Maasai of ilmurran (warriors) age-grade, Great Rift Valley, Kenya

"A warrior (olmurrani) is the embodiment of beauty for the Maasai (Masai). Important ornaments of warriorhood are the blue belt, sword belt, fringe belt, ilmintoni (double ear fobs) or esakankar (single ear fobs) and the enkila narok (cape). Depending on the style of an age set other ornaments may also be important for the warriors. among Ilkipali, enkeene emunt (loose neck band) and olkatarr oolopon (choker) were important. Warriors are expected to spend a great deal of time and attention tending to their appearance, primping and swaggering. They spend many hours in small group doing each other's hair and organizing their ornament assemblages." [Klumpp, D., 1987: Maasai Art and Society: Age and Sex, Time and Space, cash and Cattle. U.M.I. Dissertation information Service]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Broadcasting Company and traveled to Africa from early December 1966 to early February 1967.