Namuncha is a Maasai community in Kenya, it is located at the edge of the Maasai territory, and its members sometimes refer to themselves as « the last Maasais”. This little joke has a bitter sweet taste, bearing the ominous prophecy of their disappearance, the relegation of their traditions to a picturesque show devoid of meaning.
The community is involved in the preservation of the Maasai culture. They are building a Maasai cultural center within the village, and take great pride in performing their ceremonies. The Namuncha primary school dance group participates in nationwide traditional dance contests.
Adrien Blondel first spent some time in Namuncha eight years ago, to provide images to serve for their increasing desire to welcome tourists in the community and participate in the country’s first economy. He gathered some footage and photographs. Adrien went back in 2016 with the purpose to create a multimedia project including a feature length documentary and a photographic story. The aim of this project is to provide representation for the ordinary, the everyday, among a radically different culture, culture that is known in the world for its colorful and exotic traditions.
His project deals with the mundanities of Maasai life, with a culture that is shaped around their own concept of time. They are a chanting people living a quiet life, a fleeting culture under the pressure of globalization. The apparent peacefulness bears the presence of a struggle, a struggle rooted in history, culture and economics, a silent ongoing threat.
About the author:
Adrien Blondel was born in 1986 in Normandy, France. He moved to Paris where he studied and graduated in history of cinema and cinematography. His first feature documentary brought him to the United States where he now lives and work, in Oakland California. Adrien works as a lighting technician and a camera operator for the film industry. He recently started developing his photography practice, in a search for more creative work.
