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The scarred chest of a Samburu warrior wears a silver and blue rosary.
September 16, 2026 | Guardian of the Herd
The chest of a Samburu warrior in Ngurunit, Kenya, bears traditional scarifications and a Catholic rosary. Known as moran, the warriors are young, semi-nomadic males aged roughly 15 to 30 who protect the tribe and its livestock. They frequently encounter armed conflicts with rival clans and neighboring tribes, where they reclaim stolen animals or defend their own herds from attackers. A small number of the Samburu have also partly converted to Christianity while retaining many markers of their cultural identity.
