VOA新闻杂志2022 马赛人从猎杀狮子转变为保护狮子（在线收听）

The Maasai people are easily the most identifiable in Kenya with their very colorful clothing.

马赛人穿着色彩鲜艳的衣服，因而在肯尼亚很容易被认出来。

They raise animals and live near some of Kenya's most visited wildlife parks.

他们饲养动物，住在肯尼亚一些最受欢迎的野生动物园附近。

Their hunting has often been considered a threat to some wildlife populations.

他们猎杀野生动物的行为通常被认为是对一些野生动物种群的威胁。

It is traditional for a young Maasai man, called a moran, to kill a lion with a spear to prove himself as a man.

年轻的马赛男子被称为马赛勇士，他们用长矛杀死狮子来证明自己是男人，这是一种传统。

With the kill, a moran would earn a "lion name" and approval among young women.

杀死狮子后，马赛勇士就会获得“狮子名字”，并赢得年轻女性的认可。

But the Maasai appears to be ending the tradition of hunting lions with spears.

但马赛人似乎要结束用长矛猎杀狮子的传统。

Instead, young Maasai will compete in javelin throwing at an event called the Maasai Olympics.

取而代之的是，年轻的马赛人将在马赛奥运会上参加标枪比赛。

Mingati Samanya, at the age of 69, is one of the Maasai elders.

69岁的Mingati Samanya是马赛长老之一。

During his youth, Samanya killed two lions to show he was a man.

在他年轻的时候，Samanya杀死了两头狮子来表明他是一个男人。

That is how he received the "lion name" Mingati in the Maa language.

这就是他获得“狮子名字”（马赛语Mingati）的方式。

Samanya is now among the elders who are pushing young Maasai to do something different to prove themselves.

Samanya现在是敦促年轻的马赛人做一些不同的事情来证明自己的长老之一。

That includes taking part in javelin throwing, jumping, and other activities during the community Olympics.

其中包括在社区奥运会期间参加投掷标枪、跳跃等活动。

On Saturday, at the Kimana Sanctuary near Mount Kilimanjaro, young men and some women competed for medals and money.

周六，在乞力马扎罗山附近的基马纳保护区，年轻的男子和一些女子争夺奖牌和金钱。

"During our time, we killed lions and did not benefit with anything. Right now, when the morans throw a javelin and run, they get money," Samanya told The Associated Press.

Samanya告诉美联社：“在我们的时代，我们杀死了狮子，却没有得到任何好处。现在，当马赛勇士参加投掷标枪比赛时，他们就能得到钱。”

The money, he added, could help provide for their families.

他还说，这笔钱可以帮助他们养家糊口。

Vivian Nganini attended the Maasai Olympics while wearing a traditional wedding dress.

薇薇安·恩加尼尼身着传统婚纱参加了马赛奥运会。

She said girls of today prefer the modern moran.

她说，现在的女孩更喜欢现代的马赛勇士。

"At least when they run, they can win some money and be able to take care of their wives and children," said the 22-year-old.

22岁的她说：“至少在他们比赛时，他们可以赢得一些钱，还能照顾好妻子和孩子。”

The Maasai Olympics also are part of wider environmental protection efforts.

马赛奥运会也是更广泛的环境保护活动的一部分。

"The cultural side of warriors wanting to kill lions ... is solved by this event," said Craig Millar.

克雷格·米勒说：“这项活动在文化方面解决了勇士们需要杀死狮子的问题。”

He is with the Big Life Foundation, an environmental organization.

他在环保组织“Big Life Foundation”工作。

The lion population in parts of the Kimana Sanctuary has increased 10 times over the last 20 years, Millar said.

米勒说，在过去20年里，基马纳保护区部分地区的狮子数量增加了10倍。

He credited various measures like anti-poaching laws and payment programs to ease the loss of Maasai-owned farm animals to predators like lions.

他将此归功于反偷猎法和补助计划等各种措施，这些补助计划减轻了马赛人拥有的农场动物被狮子等捕食者掠走而造成的损失。

But other dangers remain for wildlife.

但野生动物仍面临其他危险。

Parts of Kenya and East Africa have experienced four straight seasons with little rainfall.

肯尼亚和东非的部分地区已经经历了连续四个少雨季节。

Hundreds of elephants, wildebeests, zebras and other animals have died, said a recent report by wildlife officials.

野生动物官员最近发布的一份报告称，已有数百头大象、角马、斑马和其他动物死亡。

During such long dry periods, the risk of human-wildlife conflict increases.

在如此漫长的干旱时期，人类与野生动物冲突的风险增加。

But communities living near parks are pushed to protect and exist with wild animals.

但居住在动物园附近的社区被要求保护野生动物，并与之共存。

Baba Sito is an elder who lives near the Kimana Sanctuary.

巴巴·西托是一位住在基马纳保护区附近的老人。

"We now understand the benefits of wildlife to the country's economy and direct benefits to us, the Maasai, who live near the parks," he said.

他说：“我们现在明白了野生动物对国家经济的好处，以及对我们这些住在动物园附近的马赛人的直接好处”。

I'm Dan Novak.

丹·诺瓦克为您播报。