Laleyio.com is the result of an independent study undertaken by an American and a Kenyan with a common interest in preserving the traditional and contemporary music of East Africa's Maasai people. Through these efforts almost 300 songs have been recorded and cataloged. Our goal is to educate others about Maasai music and culture through this web-site and by offering the public a CD of Maasai music entitled Rhythm of the Maasai (2004). Profits are helping to provide free adult education in the rural Maasai villages where the recordings were made.

Hans Johnson

My father traveled to Kenya when I was fourteen. He returned with colorful artwork and exotic stories. But what really struck me were the crude tape recordings he had made of Maasai musicians he encountered. I was fascinated.

Seven years later I was living among the Maasai in East Africa, recording what remains of their traditional music (click here to listen to a sample). I made the recordings using DSM microphones.

Currently I am working to finish my undergraduate studies in Anthropology at the University of Minnesota.

Feel free to contact me: hans@laleyio.com

Simon Saitoti ole Tumanka

He lives in a mud and dung hut in the middle of the Great Rift Valley yet owns a cell phone. He’s the modern version of a Maasai family man.

In his youth he was a Moran warrior who hunted lions and rustled cattle. At the same time he attended the first primary school in his area and learned to read and write.

Combining his western education with cultural pride, Simon Saitoti has become a strong force in cultural preservation.

Without his knowledge and understanding, this project would not have been possible. It was through his assistance that I was able to record and document music that was virtually unknown outside of the Maasai community until now.

Currently he ‘s a preacher, community leader, and school teacher in Namuncha, Kenya, an area he’s grown up in his entire life. With his wife Veronicah, they have five children; Naomi, Nena, Sankui, Naishorua and Sempeyo.

Special thanks to James Knox for the use of his photos and Christian McShane for helping to get this site up and running. Thanks Fellas!