“Change is never easy. Fight to resist. Fight to let go. ~Daniele Stern. So goes the story of our changing world. A world that constantly struggles to move forward, while remaining the same. Changes such as globalization and modernization have greatly affected the historical state of many societies, and today significant changes continue to occur in traditional cultures around the world in response to globalization and modernization. The Maasai tribe of northern Tanzania and the Wanniyala-Aetto people of Sri Lanka are two examples of cultures struggling to stay the same in a world that is constantly changing around them. The Maasai people of northern Tanzania have been struggling with changes to the fabric of their society for many years. At first glance it appears that the Maasai have been resistant to change and consistent in maintaining their cultural traditions, when in fact the inescapable truth is that the Maasai people are becoming extinct. As successful pastoralists, the Maasai were characterized by their nomadic movement in search of grazing land for their livestock. Cattle are the preferred form of currency and every aspect of Maasai life centers around them, from marriages to migration. (Hayes, 2003.) The Maasai have occupied over 200,000 square kilometers of northern Tanzania for centuries, living a simple life and depending on the land for what they need. (Tore, 2007) They dress in their traditional red and the men carry a spear and knife to use for self-defense, making them known as fierce warriors. A medicine man was commonly the source of healing for the Maasai, using plants and herbs to prepare healing concoctions. (Tore, 2007)An influx of foreign investors......middle of paper......n. . Retrieved from "Maasai: A Living Legend": http://www.maasaierc.org/maasailegacy.htmlIgoe, J. (2006). Becoming Indigenous Peoples: Difference, Inequality, and the Globalization of East African Identity Politics. African Affairs, 399-420. Stegeborn, W. (2004). The disappearance of Wanniyala-Aetto of Sri Lanka: a case study. Nomadic peoples, 43-63 years. African Roots Foundation. (2008). The life story of the Maasai. Retrieved January 13, 2014, from www.africanrootsfoundation.org: http://www.africanrootsfoundation.org/2008/the-life-history-of-maasai/Tore, CD (2007). Humans in danger of extinction: The effects of globalization and Westernization on small-scale societies and indigenous peoples. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from ux.brookdalecc.edu: http://ux.brookdalecc.edu/fac/history/Tangents/Articles%20for%20Vol%20III/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20hon%20sem%20paper% 20DeTore .pdf