In days gone by the Maasai Moran or warrior, proved his worth and manhood to his clan and tribe by the killing of a lion using nothing but a spear and shield.

Indeed I have met a Maasai who killed a lion with his spear protecting his younger brother from a lion attack. A very theatric man with a deep sonorous voice but unfortunately only a little English so communication was difficult.

Anyway here is a report of a modern day incident where morans killed a lion and a hyaena. Obviously the numbers of warriors meant the battle would be one-sided but still facing a raging lion on foot with a spear still is a very gutsy task.

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Morans Kill Lion, Hyena

The East African Standard
(Nairobi)

June 27, 2003
Kipchumba Kemei

Nairobi

Over 300 armed Maasai morans yesterday killed a lion and a hyena after a herdsman was trampled to death by elephants.
The morans later held a demonstration in Narok town protesting the killing of 29-year-old Molilanke Ole Koonyi in the Olontonto area of Narok South by stray elephants from the Maasai Mara game reserve on Wednesday.

The morans, who were carrying spears and other crude weapons while singing war songs, vowed to kill all wildlife straying out of the national parks.
As the morans were holding their demonstration in Narok town another group of armed morans was at Waso Nyiro thicket searching for stray animals.