Art Of The Maasai, The : 300 Newly Discovered Objects and Works of Art

Rating:
Summary: The Great Kamba Con
Review: This book is a beautifuly presented and photographed con. In my association with Maasai people since 1985 I have never known, seen or been informed of such mystical objects. The accounts of the Maasai since Hinde, Hollis, Merker through to Klump and onwards have never alluded to the existence of such items. In talking to friends in the Loita Hills early in 2001 the items were dismissed as Kamba carvings. Turle provides no provenance for these objects and does not ever appear to have collected the items personally from the Maasai - which would heve been so easy to do - always by way of an intermediary, who obviously hot-footed it to the Kamba carvers south east of Nairobi to fulfil the next order. Turle and Beard should know better given the long association with Kenya. A nicely presented book but useless.