4月26日-5月3日号
Running for Water
マサイの６戦士、「井戸」募金を訴え ロンドン・マラソン力走
Of the more than 34,000 runners who finished the Flora London Marathon, six stood out ― they were warriors of the Masai tribe of Africa.
The Africans, who ran while dressed in their traditional clothes and carrying sticks, took part in the race from April 13 to raise money for drinking water in their village of Eluai in Tanzania.
The marathon course took runners through the center of the capital and past some of its most famous landmarks, while a crowd of hundreds of thousands looked on.
But it wasn't a smooth run for two of the Masai visitors. The group leader, Isaya, fell ill after a ceremonial strap on his leg cut his circulation, forcing him and a fellow Masai to stop running and go to a hospital.
Yet after Isaya's recuperation, the pair returned to the course on April 14 to finish the second half of the 42‐kilometer‐long race.
The African visitors were presented with medals at the finish line in The Mall by marathon director Dave Bedford.
"It was very important for me to do this," the Daily Telegraph newspaper quoted Isaya as saying. "This is what I came to do."
Earlier, their four teammates had finished the marathon in a group time of 5 hours, 24 minutes and 47 seconds. The event was won by another African, Martin Lel of Kenya, in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 15 seconds.
The Masai, who number between 500,000 and a million, inhabit regions in northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. They have managed to maintain their traditional culture.
(Compiled from wire reports)
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【WORDS 単語をチェック】
stand out 目立つ warrior 戦士 Masai tribe マサイ族 dressed in one's traditional clothes 民族衣装を着て stick（ここでは）やり take part in ～ ～に参加する raise money for ～ ～の資金を集める drinking water 飲用水 take runners through ～ 走者を～へ導く landmark 歴史的建造物 a crowd of ～ ～の観衆 look on 見守る smooth 順調な fall ill 気分が悪くなる ceremonial strap 儀式用の皮ひも cut one's circulation ～の血流を妨げる fellow 仲間（の） recuperation 回復 pair 二人 second half 後半 (be) presented with ～ ～を贈られる The Mall バッキンガム宮殿前の遊歩道 quote ～ as saying ～の発言を引用する number ～ ～に達する inhabit 住む region 地域 【写真説明】 don 着る robes 衣装 beads ビーズのネックレス shield 盾
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Cheryl Chow is a freelance writer with a rich multi-cultural background and a deep interest in cross-cultural issues. She grew up trilingual and tri-cultural. Her primary cultural roots are American, Chinese and Japanese. She is fluent in English, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese. Over the years, she has written poetry, essays, articles, and books on various topics, including social trends and health issues. She is currently living in Taipei, Taiwan.
