Masai

Masai or Maasai, a largely nomadic pastoral people of E Africa, chiefly in Kenya and Tanzania. Cattle and sheep form the basis of the economy that they have maintained in resistance to cultural change. The Masai live off the milk, blood, and meat of their livestock. Masai society is patrilineal; polygyny is practiced. Boys are initiated into a warrior age-group responsible for herding, killing predators, and other tribal labors; only after serving as a warrior may a man marry. The Masai, who are characteristically tall and slender, live traditionally in the kraal, a compound within which are mud houses.

or Maasai

Nomadic herders of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They speak a language (usually called Maa) of the Nilo-Saharan family. Numbering some 900,000, the Masai subsist almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their cattle herds. A kraal, consisting of a large circular thornbush fence around a ring of mud-dung houses, holds four to eight families and their herds. Polygamy is common among older men. All men are grouped into age sets. Young men traditionally live in isolation in the bush for varying lengths of time in order to develop strength, courage, and endurance. Seealso Nilot.

Learn more about Masai with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Masai is a town located in east Johor Bahru District and is considered to be the oldest part of Johor Bahru. It is located approximately 25 kilometres from the Johor Bahru city centre. Masai is located on route J10 which leads to Kong Kong, a fishing village along Johor River.

Many old, pre-war buildings are still well preserved. Masai, like many of the towns in the Johor Bahru district, caters to the rural population of farmers and rubber plantation workers throughout the early and mid 20th century.

Masai was notorious in the 1970s as an emporium for cheap, smuggled electronics and consumer goods. Due to its proximity to Pasir Gudang, its shops now cater to retail shoppers from Pasir Gudang as well as from the rapidly growing population of nearby housing estates such as Kota Masai, Bandar Seri Alam, Taman Rinting, Taman Megah Ria, Nusa Damai, Taman Scientex, Kota Puteri and Taman Bukit Dahlia.

In recent years, Masai has gone through vigorous development which transforms this small town into one of the most populous towns in Johor. The Masai Chinese Primary School now has more than 5000 pupils. HyperMarkets such as Todays and Tesco now can be found in Masai.