"Donnerstag d. 30. November 1905 [unterstrichen] Von zwei [?] hier durchkommenden Massais kaufte ich einen Schild für 4 ½ Rupie, ferner 2 Knieschnüre, dünn mit Glasperlen besetzte Lederstreifen, eine Laibschnur, ebenso aber größer, einen Armschmuck wie Tagebuch 43. S.103 à 50 Heller & 75 Heller & und eine aus stark riechenden Holz hergestellte & mit rotem Lehm eingeriebenen Halskette (50 Heller) s. S.108. [Zeichnung, farbig Schild]" [translation]

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 46 (41)
author: Karl Braun

In 1934, the former director of the Biological Imperial Institute for Agriculture and Forestry (Biologische Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft) Karl Braun (1870–1935) gave the so-called “Kolonialsammlung Braun” (Colonial Collection Braun) to the Hanseatic City of Stade, or rather its representative, the then mayor Hans Arthur Meyer (1884–1961). See the file „Transfer of a colonial collection from the senior government councillor Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade to the City of Stade” („Überlassung einer Kolonialsammlung vom Oberregierungsrat Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade an die Stadt Stade") at the Lower Saxony State Archives Stade (Niedersächsischen Landesarchiv Standort Stade).

source: Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv Standort Stade, Dep. 10 Nr. 03025

In 1997, the then city archivist Jürgen Bohmbach concludes a permanent loan agreement with the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.), for which the then director Gerd Mettjes signs. Thereafter, the collection from Karl Braun is transferred to the care of the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.).

source: Museen Stade, Vereinbarung Leihgabe "Brauns'sche Kolonialsammlung"

I: Hahahaha, fine I have another picture registered with the number 2018_18407_1, Mr. [anonymous], you recognized this picture, remind me what is the name of that thing? R2: This is something for decoration. I: What is it called? R2: Emburunoti, this is a woven soft skin, it has been twined for decorations for putting the beads as we told you, these beads are of two designs, there is the one that goes through here and there is the other one that is worn on the head by the morans who is the leader in the ceremony; that he can lead about 600 morans, he is the one who comes out with his emburunoti. I: Mr. [anonymous], for the Maasai community, what other material was used apart from the skin? R2: For us, there is no other way to make this, it is only the skin but maybe there is another community that are making using the sheep skin. R1: And in fact, you cannot even get a sheep's horn and bend it like that, so it is impossible, it is not easy to bend a sheep's horn until it changes like this. I: So, this emburunoti is for bonding the beads? R2: Yes, it bonds the beads. I: So, the leader of the moran is the one who wears that? R2: Yes, the one who leads the dance. I: Was it worn in the dance? R2: Yes, in the dance when there is a ceremony. I: Mr. [anonymous] tell us, so there can be 600 morans and he is the leader? R2: Yes, he is pointed and told to lead his fellows, he takes them in the boma, because they are normally outside so the boma, hence he is appointed to lead them to the ceremony in the boma or in any festival held. I: Fine, currently are these emburunoti still made? R2: Nowadays it is no longer there because the kisinga are no more there, even the spears are lost, if you happen to find them, they are the small ones which are black and not the white ones. I: The long ones? R2: The longer ones are no longer there. I: Okay fine, and those who wore them, were they only the morans? R2: Yes, they were the morans alone, it was not allowed to an old man or a boy who hasn't been circumcised, it was only the morans. I: For instance, if a person needs it although they are lost, if it is made how much shillings can it cost? R2: This requires an expert, not everyone can make this because it is not easy, so the expert can value it hence if I mention the price I can lie, hahha. I: Hahhahaha, Mr. [anonymous] tell us where they the same morans making them? R2: Even the elderly, but not all of them who knows, possibly in 100 people only 3 of them can be experts, so he is the one who knows how long it will take and how much it will cost when it is complete, but it is difficult for me to know because I am not an expert, so I don't know how much it will cost. I: So, it was the old men who were making them? R2: Yes, they were men that if you show them, they can make it.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Massai Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 04
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1, R2: Anonymous

I: Hahhahha fine, I have another picture registered with the number 2018_18407_1, number 2 you recognized it very well, what is that tool called? R2: ‘Erapu’. I: What was the work of that ‘erapu’? R2: It is called ‘Erapu’, it is a horn of a buffalo, it is carved, and some beads are put here, and this is a rope used to be tied on the arm such that a moran can dance with it and singing, it swings like he is dancing with it. I: Was it only for dancing? R2: It's just a game of fun. I: And was it only for moran? R2: Yes, only for the moran, it was for dancing. I: Dancing the drums? R2: Yes. I: So, you said it was a buffalo horn? R2: Yes, a buffalo horn. I: Can you tell us how it is made? R2: The horn of a buffalo has a part that is straight and a curved part, an expert carves it to make the size of a hand, so it is carved to make the size of the hand. I: What else was used apart from that horn? R2: Nothing more except that these beads were added on both sides, they were beads put here because of binding. I: This rope is for what purpose? R2: This is a rope for binding, and this is just a horn, on this side there is nothing else, only roughness of the horn, the only addition is beads. I: If you look here, you can see there is a rope bounded? R2: This is scraped and then painted. I: So, it is a buffalo horn? R2: Yes. I: So, it was only for dancing drums? R2: It was for dancing, but not to all, only the few who liked to decorate themselves were the ones dancing. I: This one did not have a junior and senior stage? R2: No, it doesn’t. R1: To add on that, there were people making them for sale, but they exchanged with one goat, hence that was their business. I: Are they still made? R2: No. I: Why are they lost? R3: Nowadays really many things about traditions and customs are getting lost, I was prepared to explain a lot, but I see where we have reached, actually we are of the same age group, me and this one. I: Currently what is your age stage called? R3: ‘Seuri’, and these issues ended with us, the coming generation have nothing anymore, they no longer follow it, they have stopped it completely and many things have been lost, for example, there are many things I normally get, I receive foreign visitors then I lecture them about traditions and customs, there are things they ask but they have found them lost a long time ago. I: What dance did they start to play, and must the morans wear this ‘erapu’? R3: It was any dance if it is danced by the morans, the elders had their songs, the women had their songs, the moran had their songs and the girls had their songs, hence when the morans were dancing they must have their girls to dance with. I: So, they dance with their ‘ndito’? R3: Yes, the ‘ndito’, they had their own dances and many songs. I: What was the most famous Maasai dance that they used to dance while wearing this? R2: There was a song called ‘emborokoi’, it was very popular, and even the oldest people sang it and the next generation sang it too, it was popular. Another one was called ‘elongishu’, which was sung by the morans with their girls, so the girls had to be there to sing for them. It was a very popular song and even recently they sung it. But now it has changed; currently the youth are playing guitars, and there is no chorus like the girls singing, so only the guitar is played, and these traditions have been lost. R1: There were three types of songs that were popular as he mentioned by participant number 2, ‘emburugoi’, ‘elongishu’ and ‘punyaa’. At that time when they had this tool, those songs were popular and were used, later other songs followed, but this is no longer there. I: Which hand was it worn on? R1: This was very common to be worn on the left hand and not any other hand. I: Why were they wearing on the left hand? R2: It was the common hand, it was easier to shake it, when a moran was singing or jumping, it was very easy to shake this hand and it shook with it. I: So, it was making a sound? R2: It was just shaking. I: Fine, and who were making these ‘erapu’, were they men or women? R3: They were the men, but in addition they wanted to put beads and decorate more, the women were the ones putting the beads because they knew how to decorate using beads, but it was the men who did the carving and made it look good. I: Why were they only using the buffalo? R3: They liked using it because it was hard and unbreakable, it could stay for many years without breaking. On top of that, the morans used shields made of buffalo skin because it was hard; if well dried and prepared, you could hit it with a spear and it wouldn’t penetrate. They believed buffalo skin was much stronger than cow hide or any other animal skin. So, they were using the buffalo horn because it was very strong, unbreakable, and could last for many years.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Massai Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 08
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1-3: Anonymous