Maasai Warrior Belt Enkeene pus - Old - Disappearing

Description

Traditional Enkeene pus is rare to see today unless you are invited to a Maasai ceremonial occasion.
Enkeene pus is difficult to craft, requiring the skills of two or three women to complete just one.  Currently, there are few Maasai women artisans who retain and use these skills.   Always made with leather, the beads are laid down one by one, and two by two in a prescibed pattern and color. It is worn as a belt around the waist with the main ornament placed in the center of the back with the two peaks on the top. Enkeene pus is a gift from the mother or a girlfriend to a young male warrior upon completion of the eunoto ceremony as he passes from a warrior to a man. This belt is worn on special occasions such as circumcisions or marriages and is a piece of adornment that may also reflect the wealth and status of the young man and his family.  Often a typical maasai knife and sheath may hang from this belt.