GLOBAL AWAKENING FOUNDATION

Mother, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Beadwork embodies the Maasai culture, representing beauty, tradition, strength, and even social status at times. Their life stories are woven into every piece, each color holding a different meaning.

The Healing Bond, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Red beadwork signifies blood, bravery, and unity in this tribe. 

Young Warrior's Adumu (Jumping Dance), Ewangan Village, Maasai Mara, South Kenya

The Adumu is a part of Eunoto, a long-observed coming-of-age ceremony that includes ten days or more of singing, dancing, and traditions. The higher the jump, the stronger the man is, also receiving more respect, admiration and desire from women.

Eyes of the Earth, Shipra River, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India

This is a sacred river in Hinduism. The Shipra River is located in Ujjain, an ancient city known for Kumbh Mela, a mass pilgrimage of the Hindus, held once in every 12 years. As per belief, devotees take a holy dip in the river to wash off their sins.

Brotherhood, Maasai Mara Reserve, Kenya. Heritage-rich portrait by Devika Knafo

Unyielding Womanhood, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Women of the tribe are pillars of strength and unification. Maasai women are shattering cultural norms, paving the way for unprecedented gender equality in their historically patriarchal societies.

Cubs of Curiosity, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India

Youth selling Jamun, a native sweet fruit also known as java plum (tastes like a blackberry).

Caretaker, Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Nairobi, Kenya

Dedicated elephant orphan rescue and rehabilitation center. One of Africa's oldest wildlife charities and leading conservation organizations, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Their field headquarters borders Tsavo East National Park.

Jumbo Jesters, Mara River, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Kenya. Joyful display of two elephants play-wrestling in the wild

Eyes That Mend, Litare Fishing Village-Lake Victoria, Tanzania 

Healing Through Hues, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Kenya

Submerged, Machchafushi Island, Maldives

Silent depths, where life whispers its secrets, inviting exploration and wonder.

Man with Spear, Walking Stick, and Axe, Maasai Mara, Kenya 

The long spear is called Empere. The slim stick is named Echipishipi. The woods used depends on the area where the community lives.

Tea Plantation, Kiambethu Farm, Limuru, Kenya

Purchased in 1910 by AB McDonell, Kiambethu has been a pioneering tea farm, among the first to commercially produce and export tea in Kenya. It remains in the care of his granddaughter, Fiona Vernon, continuing a five-generation legacy.

Wild Grace, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Kenya

Following the colossal wildebeest herd over 800 kilometers—roughly two million animals traverse the preserve during the most monumental mammal migration. This spectacle is an unrivaled portrayal of the circle of life.

Harvested Delights, Maasai Wildlife Preserve, Kenya

Guarded in Details, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Kenya

Symbiosis of Spirit, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Elders have transitioned from their warrior days as Morans, now serving as society's leaders.

Hippo's Unexpected Stroll, Serengeti Nature Reserve, Tanzania

Hippos spend around 80% of their lives in water, rarely being seen out of the water during the daytime.

Woman, Ewangan Village, Maasai Mara, South Kenya

Rhythms of Resilience, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Nearly 30,000 mammals exist inside this extinct volcanic crater. This is a protected region in Tanzania spanning over 102 square miles of wetlands, forests and grasslands.

Mirrored Voices, Echo Point (Mandu), Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India

The man whose voice can be heard miles away. When he chants out over the valley, he creates a symphony of echoes that cascade into the distance. When others attempt, their voices may falter, but the echo persists, a humble testament to nature's magic and stepping into your voice.

Koa Warrior, Waimea Canyon State Park, Kauai, Hawaii

Merciless fighters in battle, handcrafting their weapons, and skillfully fighting off those who attack. 

The Exchange, New Dehli, India

Landscape, Wilderness, USA

The Alchemist's Gaze, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India. Life purpose illustrated through photography by Devika Knafo

Where A Girl Is Worth A Cow, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

In rural regions, early and forced marriages persist, with bride wealth typically valued in livestock, disproportionately affecting Maasai girls' access to education, leaving only 20% enrolled. Young unmarried girls wear large plain-red beads signifying purity. Green beads symbolize the pastures. Dark blue is the most sacred of all—the symbol of Nkai, the Samburu god who dwells in the sky and blesses the people below with rain.

Silent Strength, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

African Leopard, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Tanzania

Revered as a symbol of royalty in some cultures and feared as a harbinger of death in others, it universally exudes an aura of strength, power, courage, and unwavering determination.

Bound by Tradition, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

Silhouettes in Play, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India

Soulful Submission, Unknown, India

Creative inspiration from traditional India by Devika Knafo

Devotion, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

For aspiring Masai warriors, mastering the art of single-handedly defeating a lion with a spear was a mandatory rite of passage, until recent years.

Warrior's Pride, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Blossoms in the Rubble, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, State of Central India

Kings of the African Savannah, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Provider, Ikorongo Region, Northern Tanzania

This photo was taken at a school for local children and the youth of Maasai Tribe. While the introduction of free primary education in Kenya in 2003 boosted nationwide attendance, marginalized tribal regions continue to grapple with significantly lower enrollment rates.

Reverie, Nairobi, Kenya

Awakening the World's Pulse, Marie Galante, Island of Guadeloupe, A French overseas region in the Caribbean

Children, in their innocence and vulnerability, symbolize the purest form of humanity. Our moral duty to protect them mirrors the concept of rebirth, as they embody the essence of primal potential.

Flamingo Dancer, Madrid, Spain

Dancing, a universal language fostering joy, unity, and self-expression, all igniting the human spirit.

Bestowal Of The Bananas, Kiambethu Farm, Limuru, Kenya

Farm keeper in the midst of a banana exchange. 

Legacy Carriers, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

The Eunoto Ceremony, Ewangan Village, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Eunoto is a vital male rites of passage ceremony that is performed every generation (every 20 years) to mark the important transition of Morans (Maasai Warriors) entering into manhood.

Wisdom Carved by Time, Maasai Mara, Kenya Global Awakening Foundation.

Race for Life-Cheetah Hunting Baby Gazelle, Maasai Mara Game Reserve, South Kenya

Boy In Red Cap, Maasai Mara, Kenya - Global Awakening Foundation

Kazuri Weaving, Airstrip in Naboisho Conservancy, South Kenya

Pictured in a woman weaving a necklace with glass beads. Kazuri Beads mean "small and beautiful" in Swahili.

The Great Migration, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, North Tanzania

As May ushers in drought, the herds advance north, devouring lush grasslands, trailed by gazelles and zebras. Yet, the migration isn't without peril: daunting river crossings pit them against thousands of patient crocodiles, awaiting their chance for a kill.

United Nations Peacekeepers, Israeli-Syrian Border, Israel

Unseen Scars, New Dehli, India Captured By Devika 

Tall Snacker, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Pictured is a Gerenuk. It can sustain itself throughout its lifetime without ever needing to drink water. Instead, it obtains the necessary hydration from the foliage it consumes.

Embrace of Renewal, Maasai Mara, Kenya

 Rhythms of Resilience, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

A herd of ostrich walking along the dirt road. 

Village Woman, Litare Fishing Village-Lake Victoria, Tanzania

The women sun-dry the fish on tarps as a preservation technique, preparing them for vendors and buyers who arrive within a day or two.

The Soul of the Earth, Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii

The spirit of the garden island, Kauai, known as an oasis of healing. In the enchanting embrace of Kauai, seekers of the light discover a profound portal, a radiant energy vortex that connects our modern world to the mystic echoes of ancient Lemuria, a lost continent.

Young Guardian of Lake Victoria's Shores, Litare Fishing Village-Lake Victoria, Tanzania

Nature's Heartbeat, Serengeti Game Reserve, Tanzania

Rooted in Love's Grace, Samburu Tribe, Kenya

Untamed Beauty, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Pictured is a Grey Heron.

Wild Bonds of Affection, Kiambethu Farm, Limuru, Kenya GAF

Gentle Guardian, Serengeti Game Reserve, Tanzania

Pictured is a reticulated giraffe. Giraffe patterns differ via region. There are nine types of giraffes around the world.

Tales of Love and Fur, Maasai Mara-Serengeti Nature Reserve, Kenya

Pictured are Dik-Diks, they come in pairs of two. When you see one, the other is right around the corner. 

Rhythms of Resilience, Serengeti Game Reserve, Tanzania - Global Awakening Foundation