Hello! My name is Julia, and I am a cultural anthropologist. I invite you to support my research project, which aims to explore the relationships between Polish women and Maasai people in Tanzania. My goal is to understand how these two very different cultures come together, how bonds are formed, and the challenges, risks, and emotions involved in these relationships—along with why they don’t always have a happy ending.

Your support will help me cover the costs of:

- Travel to Tanzania 

- Insurance 

- Basic living expenses on-site (accommodation, transportation, food) 

Why Polish women and Maasai people? 

I am fascinated by these relationships because they seem multi-layered and complex. They intertwine themes of colonialism with love, showing differences in how love is perceived by Polish women and by Maasai people. What role does racism and colonial history play in these relationships? How do they come about? What role does Zanzibar play, and is it possible to talk about emerging sex tourism there? These are the questions I aim to answer, and traveling to Zanzibar and Tanzania will allow me to do so. 

Why is this research important? 

I want to not only capture how Polish women and Maasai people meet and build relationships but also delve into how their connections are shaped by challenging historical and social factors, such as the legacy of colonialism and cultural differences. These relationships often come with challenges—and sometimes risks—arising from multi-layered conflicts and issues rooted in differing cultural and historical experiences. At the same time, I want to understand the emotions and experiences that accompany these relationships, whether successful or not—love, longing, fascination, anger, moments of uncertainty, money, passports, and hotels. 

Even the smallest contribution will bring me closer to realizing this project, which is not just scientific research but also a way to capture the emotions and experiences in these often-complicated relationships.