People of the Maasai tribe traditionally make jewelry and pierce their earlobes. Earlobe piercing and stretching are closely associated with Maasai adornment, especially when the elongated lobes are decorated with beaded earrings.
Traditional jewelry is made from colorful beads arranged in necklaces, collars, bracelets, earrings, and other ornaments. The colors and patterns can communicate age, marital status, social position, or participation in important ceremonies, although meanings vary among communities and generations. Earlobes may be gradually enlarged using materials such as wood, bone, or stone.
A common mix-up is to associate the Maasai with lip plates, but those are more strongly associated with some groups in Ethiopia, including the Mursi and Suri. Maasai body adornment is especially recognizable for its elaborate beadwork, stretched earlobes, and upper-ear piercings. Modern Maasai people do not all follow every traditional practice, so the quiz answer describes a well-known cultural tradition rather than a universal rule.