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Women in traditional Maasai clothing are not a common sight in Pittsburgh.
So it might be surprising that on the day three women from the Kenyan village of Olorgesailie arrived here this summer, a kid who saw them near the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh cried “Maasai!”
On the other hand, maybe it’s not so surprising. The women were dressed in distinctive Maasai beadwork and characteristic red cloaks. Walking together, they make quite an entrance. Tereneh Idia, the designer, artist and writer who hosted Cess Nkoyo, Rosemary Mashipei and Mankei Kidalu, says they draw plenty of attention on the street.
“It’s like walking around with Beyoncé,” Idia says. “It’s like three Beyoncés.”
Nkoyo, Mashipei and…


