Maa languages
Encyclopedia
The Maa languages are a group of closely related Eastern Nilotic languages
(or from a linguistic perspective, dialects, as they appear to be mutually intelligible) spoken in parts of Kenya
and Tanzania
by more than a million speakers altogether. They are subdivided into North and South Maa. The Maa languages are related to the Lotuko languages spoken in South Sudan
.
In the past, several peoples have abandoned their language in favor of a Maa language, usually following a period of intensive cultural and economic contact. Among peoples that have assimilated to Maa peoples are the Aasáx
(Asa) and the Elmolo, former hunter-gatherers who spoke Cushitic languages
, and the Mukogodo-Maasai (Yaaku), former bee-keepers and hunter-gatherers (Eastern Cushitic). The Akiek of northern Tanzania, speakers of a Southern Nilotic
Kalenjin
tongue, are under heavy influence from Maasai.
Another Kenyan Maa variety once existed, Kore
. After being defeated by the Purko Maasai in the 1870s, the Kore fled to north-eastern Kenya where they were taken captive by Somali people
. After functioning for years as clients or slaves in Somali households, they were set free by British imperial forces around the end of the 19th century. They have lost their own language and speak Somali
. Loss of cattle brought them to Lamu
island in the second half of the 20th century, where they live nowadays.
Eastern Nilotic languages
The Eastern Nilotic languages are one of the three primary branches of the Nilotic languages, themselves belonging to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan; they are believed to have begun to diverge about 3,000 years ago, and have spread southwards from an original home in Equatoria in...
(or from a linguistic perspective, dialects, as they appear to be mutually intelligible) spoken in parts of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
by more than a million speakers altogether. They are subdivided into North and South Maa. The Maa languages are related to the Lotuko languages spoken in South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
.
In the past, several peoples have abandoned their language in favor of a Maa language, usually following a period of intensive cultural and economic contact. Among peoples that have assimilated to Maa peoples are the Aasáx
Aasáx
The Asa language, Aasáx was apparently a Cushitic language spoken by the Assa people in Tanzania. The language is extinct; ethnic Assa in northern Tanzania remember only a few words they overheard their elders use...
(Asa) and the Elmolo, former hunter-gatherers who spoke Cushitic languages
Cushitic languages
The Cushitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family spoken in the Horn of Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt. They are named after the Biblical character Cush, who was identified as an ancestor of the speakers of these specific languages as early as AD 947...
, and the Mukogodo-Maasai (Yaaku), former bee-keepers and hunter-gatherers (Eastern Cushitic). The Akiek of northern Tanzania, speakers of a Southern Nilotic
Southern Nilotic languages
The Southern Nilotic languages are spoken mainly in western Kenya and northern Tanzania . They are generally divided into two groups, Kalenjin and Omotik–Datooga, although there is some uncertainty as to the internal coherence of the Kalenjin branch...
Kalenjin
Kalenjin languages
The Kalenjin languages are a group of twelve related Southern Nilotic languages spoken in Kenya, eastern Uganda and northern Tanzania. The term Kalenjin comes from a Nandi expression meaning 'I say '...
tongue, are under heavy influence from Maasai.
- Northern Maa
- SamburuSamburu languageSamburu is the Eastern Nilotic, North Maa language spoken by the Samburu in the highlands of northern Kenya. The Samburu number about 128,000 . Samburu is closely related to Camus and to the South Maa language Maasai...
(spoken by the SamburuSamburuThe Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya that are related to but distinct from the Maasai. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels. The name they use for themselves is Lokop or Loikop, a term which may have a variety of...
people) - Camus (or il-Chamus, the preferred autonym; sometimes considered a dialect of Samburu)
- Samburu
- Southern Maa
- MaasaiMaasai languageThe Maasai language is an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania by the Maasai people, numbering about 800,000...
(spoken by the Maasai, Arusha, Parakuyo peoples) - NgasaOngamo languageOngamo, or Ngasa, is an endangered or extinct Eastern Nilotic language of the Ngasa people of Tanzania. It is related to the Maa languages, but it is more distantly related to them than the Maa languages are to each other. Ongamo has 60% of lexical similarity with Maasai, 59% with Samburu, 58% with...
or Ongamo (extinct or at least endangeredEndangered languageAn endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use. If it loses all its native speakers, it becomes a dead language. If eventually no one speaks the language at all it becomes an "extinct language"....
; most speakers have shifted to Chaga) (Sommer 1992:380).
- Maasai
Another Kenyan Maa variety once existed, Kore
Kore people
The Kore of Lamu are a small people living on Lamu Island on the northern Kenya coast. In 1985 they numbered between 200 and 250 . Their history before 1870 lies with the other Maa peoples in central Kenya. After being defeated by the Purko Maasai in the 1870s, the Kore fled to north-eastern Kenya...
. After being defeated by the Purko Maasai in the 1870s, the Kore fled to north-eastern Kenya where they were taken captive by Somali people
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
. After functioning for years as clients or slaves in Somali households, they were set free by British imperial forces around the end of the 19th century. They have lost their own language and speak Somali
Somali language
The Somali language is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Its nearest relatives are Afar and Oromo. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies beginning before 1900....
. Loss of cattle brought them to Lamu
Lamu
-Threats to Lamu:In a 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund identified Lamu as one of 12 worldwide sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and damage, citing insufficient management and development pressure as primary causes.- See also :* Juma and the Magic...
island in the second half of the 20th century, where they live nowadays.
External links
- Maa languages on the Ethnologue
- The Maa (Maasai) language, a website maintained by Doris L. Payne.