The lion hunting journey starts at early dawn before anyone in the community is awake. The warriors sleep in different Manyattas (homesteads) and meet at a nearby landmark, e.g. tree, hill, rock, etc., and head towards predetermined areas, where lions are likely to be found.
The reason warriors leave villages at early dawn is to avoid chances of encountering people opposed to the practice. A few minutes before the journey begins older warriors (Irmorijo) and their leaders must choose qualified warriors, those identified as mature and strong who are believed capable for the game of lion hunting. This group is known as fearless warriors (Irmeluaya) who are ready to die or live from the game of lion hunting.
Young warriors (Irbarnot) who are disqualified are sent back home for rest. This rejection often creates a dispute within the group, as not every young warrior will accept to return home. When this happens, the dominant group and the rejected young warriors often challenge one another using clubs and shields. Losers are always the young warriors. Despite this, they still believe that the challenge is worth a try.
The fight between young and older warriors could potentially pose a major conflict to the dominant group, as some of their members might stress favoritism towards individuals from the group of young warriors, usually a relative from their clan or family. This situation can push the decision making process into extremes. Nevertheless, if this happen, the battle is treated as part of the learning process. Group dynamics is treated by warriors as progress.
The young warriors, who are sent home, are urged by older warriors to keep the information of lion hunting confidential until their colleagues return from hunting. Young warriors are also forced by older warriors to give up their weapons. (Extra weapons are not necessary for lion hunting. Instead, it is just a way of insulting the young warriors.) This attitude is a form of training that they are riot being regarded as responsible, so that they would be motivated.
When the older warriors return from lion hunting with the lion, a one week celebration will take place throughout the section's land. The warrior who first speared the lion is embraced by women from various communities and receives a double-sided beaded shoulder strap (Imporro), which he must wear every time a major festival, such as milk ceremony, eunoto ceremony (senior warrior's graduation ceremony) takes place in the community.
The successful completion of lion hunting brings gratitude and excitement to the hunter's entire community, as it is deemed an accomplishment of individual bravery and skill. His community will honor the hunter (Ormurani lolowuaru) with much respect throughout his entire lifetime. His accomplishment will not only be heard in his community but also by the entire section. The hunter will also receive a nickname from his colleagues, e.g. Miseyieki, meaning that no one will ever mess with him. When warriors attend ceremonies in other settings, they praise their colleague and urge others to acknowledge the success of their member. The warrior's information is effectively delivered through songs and verbal stories.
Elders, Western Conservationist and Political Topocratís viewpoint on the Lion Hunting Practice
In recent years Maasai elders began to oppose the practice of lion hunting as a result of external pressure from topocrats (politicians and Western conservationists). Topocrats pressured the elders by telling them that; "if warriors refuse to stop lion hunting, they will be gathered and punished in the form of government judicial system", meaning government laws. (It is important to acknowledge that Kenya and Tanzania laws, of course, do not speak Maa language). As a result of threat from topocrats, the Maasai elders are no longer encouraging the warriors to hunt lions. Nowadays, they tell the warriors that "lion hunting is too risky both physically and politically- and warriors should stop the practice."
The Maasai warriors refute this discouragement by saying, "the elders have forgotten that the warriors adopted the practice of lion hunting from them and they in turn adopted from their fore generations"
From the topocrats viewpoint, "The game is rigid, primitive, it is environmentally destructive, and most importantly, the game of lion hunting is unproductive. The warriors must stop the practice." Of course the practice is unproductive because tax is not involved.
The Maasai warriors refute the topocrat viewpoint by saying, "Topocrats are forgetting that wildlife conservation cannot be done without the participation of the local people, including the warriors."
From warriorís viewpoint, elders and topocrat judgments are contrary to their beliefs. The warriors believe that "the game of lion hunting is very exciting/ thrilling, challenging, righteous and it is a traditional practice; warriors are capable of the practice."
Lion hunting is absolutely confidential and is done at random. Warriors exclude topocrat and elders in the decision making process for lion hunting, just as the outsiders excluded the warriors in the conservation planning process.
Generally speaking, isolating the Maasai warriors in the conservation planning process, would undoubtedly slow the task of preserving the ecosystem of national parks and reserves in the Maasai region.