The Maasai Football League in Amboseli is transforming young Maasai morans’ attitudes, reducing lion hunting, and promoting wildlife conservation while fostering local sporting talent.

In the Maasai tradition, becoming a warrior once meant hunting and killing a full-grown male lion—alone. No weapons beyond a spear. No help. No second chances. Lionesses were sacred and off-limits.

Many years ago, young Maasai moranspoured their strength, pride and bravado into hunting lions — a centuries-oldrite of passage that defined courage.Today, the same energy is beingchannelled into ...