During a retreat in Mombasa last week, I met Sig and Joy Feser, who are working in Tanzania with the Maasai. They have a heart for discipling people through the media and, as a result, began Pamoja Ministries and Kahawa Productions to forward that goal. They began with some children's puppet videos in Swahili, a photo book of the Maasai (called En-kata) and a movie musical called "Nipe Jibu" ("Answer Me") - also in Swahili, about the hold ancestors have on the lives of many Tanzanians, and how they can be free through Christ. Click here to read more about their video and TV projects.
I loved a statement they made about their work— people always hear about the ugliness, poverty and corruption of Africa; they want to promote the goodness, strength and beauty of Africa instead. Way to go! One way they have begun to do that is through a Maasai music video. Although it is sung in Swahili, instead of Maa, it was choreographed by the Maasai using many of their dance moves appropriate to the words of the song "Bwana Mungu" (Lord God). It's beautifully done, so click here to see it! The Maasai who have seen it say it makes them "proud to be Maasai Christians."
The newest God-vision the Fesers have had is to do a "Maasai opera" - basically a fusion of Maa song and dance, Swahili and English, with a storyline from the Maasai perspective of how they are dealing with holding on to their culture in the midst of social and cultural change. Their story can speak to people in many cultures dealing with similar issues, as well as sharing how their God is seeing them through the transitions.
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