MovieChat Forums > Die weiße Massai (2005) Discussion > Samburu

Samburu

posted 18 years ago by Supersap_90
11 replies | jump to latest

Hasn't anyone noticed that the tribe in the movie isn't Masai, but Samburu?! It's very inaccurate and offences the Samburu people!!

[–] fjehoel 18 years ago

Samburu are Masai people

Corinne Hofmann also calls them Masai

[–] meredith_37 17 years ago

I read the book, loved it and am trying to purchase the film. The warrior is a Masai who lives in the Samburu District of Kenya. Has anyone purchased the film and where?? Thanks for your help.

[–] donbrown-1 17 years ago

I just purchased the film on ebay. I believe it is from Thailand, a PAL DVD. No problem if you have the right player.

[–] sokkenmakers 17 years ago

Samburu and Masai are similar, but not the same. For one thing they live apart by quite a distance.

[–] bebop63-1 14 years ago

From what I've read online, Samburu live in northern Kenya, while Masai live in the south. Both are culturally and linguistically related, albeit with slight differences in some manner of dressing & customs. Since Barsaloi, where Lemalian the warrior lives is located in northern Kenya, it would be correct to say that he is Samburu, despite the title of both the book and film.

[–] jtdeclercq 14 years ago

Preceding posters are correct. Masai and Samburu, even though related, are different tribes. It is weird and annoyingly inaccurate, to say the least, that the title of the film is White Masai, whereas during the whole film Lemalian and his tribe are referred to as Samburu. I assume the word Masai sounds more ethnic, and exotic? So it's marketing, nothing else.

[–] lestat_king_of_the_damne 16 years ago

Get over it. The two tribes are quite closely related, and I sincerely doubt either of them would object to the association.

[–] sokkenmakers 16 years ago

Oh they probably would! How would a Frenchman feel if you mistook him for a German or a Brit? These two tribes both live in Kenya (although the Masai also live in Tanzania), but that doesn't mean they feel just kenyan. Their tribe is by far more important.

[–] bluefoxniner 16 years ago

Samburu and Masai share similarities, even language, but are NOT THE SAME, and to dismiss the difference as miniscule is akin to saying an english man is the same as an austrailian just becuase they have superifcial similarities.

[–] jellenu-141-453137 9 years ago

What's the difference between an Australian and an Englishman?

[–] janisvstr 8 years ago

An Englishman and an Australian have way more than "superficial" similarities.

I mean, do you have "superficial similarities" with your grandparents?