Jennifer Alphonse finds her Masai visit magical

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad-based award-winning writer and filmmaker Jennifer Alphonse, who has made several documentary films on tribes, including Nagoba Jathara, Kolam Tribes, Pradhan singing, Jangubai, Bheem Devudu and Gussadi — Celebration of being God, recently went to Kenya to meet the Maasai tribe, and was enthralled by the experience. She said she had been inspired by the Maasai since childhood, and that was what prompted her to make films on tribes.
Her first coffee table book, a photo document called Gussadi — Celebration of being God, on the Gond tribe in Telangana, was recently published. And she went to Kenya to give the book to the Maasai tribe.

“It was an emotional moment,” she says, and adds, “We are doing our bit to preserve such beautiful and ancient tribal cultures in the world for the coming generations.” She found several cultural similarities between the Maasai and tribes in Telangana. The one-week trip turned out to be a ‘double delight’ for Jennifer as she also visited the famous wildlife reserve, Masai Mara. “Exploring the African jungles was the experience of a lifetime. Camping in the jungle at night was scary on the first day, as I could hear animals roaring and grunting. But I was so tired travelling the whole day that I fell asleep very quickly,” she smiles. The trip had changed her perception of animals, as she realised that they don’t harm humans unless they feel threatened, she adds. “Capturing a lion on camera from a distance of just 8 feet was a breath-taking experience,” she says.