"Nourish me with words," says Nicholas Sironka. "I will nourish the listener, and then ask them to feed me with words." This is a traditional greeting in the Maasai culture, one that Mr. Sironka is passionate about sharing.
Nicholas Sironka is from the Maasai tribe in Kenya, and comes every year to the United States to speak across the country about his culture, his batik artwork, and his passion for learning about others and teaching others. All week, he has visited local public schools to talk about his artwork, and will continue to visit them next week. On October 7th, at Wilson Memorial High School, he gave a presentation to the greater community about his people. The presentation was organized by two Shenandoah Valley Governor's School Seniors, Krysta Trout and Megan Champion.
He related many interesting stories about his culture. He discussed how the Maasai people are traditionally agricultural, and cows and pigs hold special value. Children want to grow up to be warriors, because they are respected in the community, and they are dancers. He even related fun facts about comparisons between America and the Maasai culture, including the fact that dogs are not allowed in homes. The audience chuckled as Mr. Sironka recounted the legend, but this recounting of small differences showed what this event was all about. "There's not much of a difference between us. We have the same dreams and aspirations."
"I have a soft spot for young girls who have to drop out of school," he said. "They are married off at such a young age." He helps by supporting girls who need scholarships so that they can finish high school, which starts at age 16 in Kenya. He has sponsored over 50 children, boys and girls, to go to school. "These girls can become people of great significance."
At the conclusion of the event at Wilson, he spoke directly to the teenagers in the crowd. "It is up to you now to move the world in a peaceful way: to accept dialogue and to take away barriers. Even in differences, there must be something we can accept."
There was nothing but positive feedback from those in attendance. "He did a super job," said Mr. Vermell Grant, Assistant Superintendent for Waynesboro City Schools. "He is very gracious. He sent a strong message of culture. None was better than the other. (...) He dispelled any of that." Dr. Kurt Michael, one of the teachers at the Governor's School who advised the students with their project, also attended the event. "Most enjoyable was his philosophy of life where he said that success should be by how we help others, not by what we gain." Karen O'Brien, who worked with teachers in Kenya for six months after retiring from thirty-one years at Stuarts Draft High School, and her daughter Roxanne were also in the audience. "We highly recommend [going to Kenya] to anyone who loves to travel."
One of the organizers of the event, Krysta Trout, shared her thoughts on the event and what Mr. Sironka does. "He truly understands what it means to be a citizen of the world. (...) He takes his little piece of the world and shows it to everyone."
For more on this story...
Nicholas Sironka's artwork
The scholarships
Opportunity to study abroad in Kenya
