Vincent Donovan is a Roman Catholic missionary who was sent to work among the Masai people of Tanzania. He published an account of his work in a book called Christianity Rediscovered. It is consider a contemporary classic. Below is his account of baptism amongst the Masai.
There was no need to explain to the Masai the symbolism of living, life-giving water. It was sacred to them long before I got there. Their word for God means rain – it being the most beautiful description of God they can think of.
The Masai being baptized would change their name, as they were accustomed to doing at any important changing point in their lives, like the Old Testament people – Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel …
The baptisms, as they took place in the six communities, were simple affairs, the bare essentials of the baptism ceremonies. I was afraid to take steps beyond the bare essentials, for fear of cultural encroachment, even in the matter of such things as symbols to be used. Certain symbols might strike my fancy, and I might think they are very fitting. But it would be up to them, not me, to enhance those essentials in any way they wanted in later ceremonies, and enhance them they did, as the months progressed, into very elaborate baptismal liturgies.
Even in some of those first baptisms they began to bring in their own signs, burning embers passed from one to another, all lighted from the same fire, itself lighted from two sticks of wood. Anointing with oil: sheep fat and other kinds, are liberally poured over Masai men and women at many important stages of their lives – warriorhood, motherhood, elderhood, when they are sick and in danger of dying. So it naturally became part of the baptismal ceremony.
…
I suppose of the six communities, the baptism that was most important to me, that meant most to me, was the baptism involving the old man, Ndangoya, and his community. His was the first, as far as I knew, the first baptism of an adult Masai community in all of Masailand.
When the day of the baptism came, I was amazed, as I am today long after, at how serious and sober and reflective these Masai were. We had gathered them near one of the permanent streams which flow into their beloved rivers of the Masai highlands, rivers which give life to their cattle, and then flow on down to Lake Natron and over to Lake Victoria.
When they were gathered on the banks of the stream, I spoke to them. It was really the first liturgical sermon I had ever given in the Masai language, because they were the first to be initiated into the Orporor L’Engai.
…
All the men and women of Ndangoya’s community chose new Masai names, filled with meaning for their lives. All of them except Ndangoya. He said to me, ‘Of all the stories you told us, one I like most. It attracts me, the story of the man who left everything and led his people from the worship of a tribal god in search of the unknown High God. If you permit me, I would like to be called Abraham.’
And so, with the whole neighbourhood and visiting neighbourhoods watching, he stood in the middle of the stream, and I poured water from the stream over his head – ‘Ndangoya, son of Parmwat, chief of your people, Masai – I baptize you, Abraham, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.’
Vincent J. Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai (3rd ed., SCM, 2001 [1978]), pp.77-79.
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