LUO CIRCUMCISION RITES

Transcription

1 LUO CIRCUMCISION RITES Dan Omndi K Ak 1986 DEDICATED TO: RAMOGI AJWANG, THE LUO TRADITIONAL ANCESTOR. Ruth Benedict (1939), in a discussin f rites that mark the passage f individuals t adult status, suggests that what we need t knw abut such rites is what is identified in different cultures with the beginning f adulthd and what are their methds f admitting nvitiates t the new status? CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INTRODUCTION CHAPTERS THE OKOKO METHOD (SOLDIER ANT METHOD) THE WINO METHOD (THE FLY WHISK METHOD) THE OPILA METHOD (SUGARCANE RIND METHOD) TUCHRUOK METHOD (THE PIERCING METHOD) RIDHRUOK METHOD (PEELING METHOD) SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING OF LUO CIRCUMCISION THE PREVALENCE OF LUO CIRCUMCISION RITE IN CONTEMPORARY LUO LIFE THE FUTURE AND EFFECTS OF CONTEMPORARY CHANGE ON LUO CIRCUMCISION CONCLUSION GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY ABOUT THE AUTHOR DAN OMONDI K AOKO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I m indebted t Prfessr Kkwar f the Chirm campus f the University f Nairbi fr helping me with the scientific names f the btanical plants described in the glssary. Thanks als t Hnurable Grace Ogt, the Assistant Minister fr Culture and Scial Services fr agreeing t read thrugh the riginal manuscript and her critical cmments that has shaped the final script. Nt t frget lecturers f the University f Nairbi and students wh willingly discussed the treatise with pg. 1

2 me. Finally I wuld like t cmmend all thse wh participated twards the success f this bk, the list f their names is t lng t mentin here. INTRODUCTION In cntemprary times, the definitin f terminlgy is cnstantly changing, and the cncept f circumcisin is n exceptin. Tday we can talk meaningfully f female circumcisin yet the cnventinal definitin f circumcisin has it as the remval f the freskin f the male sex rgan. Accrding t an internatinal reader s dictinary, circumcisin is the cutting ff f the lse skin cvering the end f the male sex rgan. Therefre female circumcisin and the cutting f the cnnective tissue that jins the freskin t the male genital, as practised by the suthern Lu des nt tally with this definitin. Hwever, varius schlars are beginning t recgnise the changing nature f terminlgy, in agreement with etymlgists. They are. appreciating the Lu mde f circumcisin and female excisin as part f the wide cncept f circumcisin. T cite nly ne example Dr. Katama Mkangi f the Scilgy Department f the University f Nairbi makes an anthrplgical apprach in his scilgical verview n the cncept f circumcisin. He pints ut; An initiatin such as the circumcisin f the males and females, r its Alaktar equivalent amng the Lu; and even the Nak (i.e. teeth-pulling as practised by the Lu, Kalenjin, etc.) succeeded in creating a strng sense f cmradeness amng all the initiates wh were initiated at the same time. Despite the fact that sme schlars have recgnised the Lu way f carrying ut the ritual rdeal, the miscnceptin that they had n equivalent fr ritual circumcisin still lingers. An example f such egflattering enthncentricism was nce highlighted in the Kenya parliament, in 1981, by an Assistant Minister. The Minister and peple f his persuasin have therefre fallen amng western ethncentricists in their false interpretatin f sme aspects f pre-clnial African custms. They sught t define them nt in terms f what they really were and what they had (per se), but in the ppsite terms. Catherine Gerge, the American anthrplgist has intimated (1968), There was established thus early the pattern f thught which fr many future centuries frmed the basis fr the apprach t the primitives f Africa, and which defined them nt in terms f what they were and what they had, but in terms f what they presumably were nt and had nt, in terms, that is, f their inhumanity, their wildness and their lack f prper law. Apart frm reacting against the alleged slur against the Lu peple, this treatise seeks t reintrduce the cncept f ancestral Lu circumcisin as it really was. This is because sme peple are hithert unaware that the Lu peple had their wn methds f bserving ritual circumcisin. Precisely and in its bradest sense, circumcisin can be defined as the ritual mutilatin f the genital rgan. The rendered the tip f the male rgan uncvered. It invlved the cutting f the freskin amng mst Bantu peples f Africa, but amng the Suthern Lu, it invlved the cutting f the cnnective tissue jining the freskin and the male rgan at the back. The typlgy f circumcisin reminiscent f the Suthern Lu was therefre nly different in methd, and as we have seen terminlgy is essentially pejrative r relative. Ruth Benedict, in a discussin f rites that mark the passage f individuals t adult status recgnises that what we need t knw abut such rites is what is identified in different, cultures with the beginning f adulthd and what are their methds f admitting nvitiates int the new status? pg. 2

3 There has als been a miscnceptin that the remval f the lwer teeth was the equivalent f circumcisin amng the Suthern Lu. This is wrng since even amng the Kipsigis, Tes, Masai, etc., the remval f the teeth did nt replace ritual circumcisin amng them. The remval f the lwer teeth had three different functins f its wn. First, it ffered a cnvenient way f feeding in liquid fds during tetanus f the jaw muscle attack. Secndly, it became necessary fr tetanus patient t take liquid medicinal herbs prescribed t cure the disease. Thirdly the remval f the lwer teeth was meant t act as an identificatin mark, the number f teeth remved differed frm ne ethnic grup t anther. The remval f the lwer teeth amng the Suthern Lu, and thers culd therefre nt replace ritual circumcisin whatsever, it had its wn purpse. The Lu mde f circumcisin has been eclipsed frm the knwledge f mst peples. This has been accentuated by the fact that details such as festivius preparatins and pmp after the peratins which characterised mst Bantu circumcisin ceremnies were nt practised in Luland. The seclusin perid was als nn-existent in the cncept f Lu circumcisin, the peratins were instead extempre. The absence f the seclusin perid in the Lu cncept f circumcisin was due partly because, the Lu initiates had a shrt healing perid r cnvalescence. The nnexistence f the seclusin perid in the cncept f Lu circumcisin was als partly due t their nmadic traditin f pastralism and fish hunting culd nt allw them t stay secluded in ne place. All these reasns rendered the seclusin perid unnecessary amng the Lu peple. Indeed as Prf. Ogt bserves, Lu custmary belief and religius practices cannt be understd withut reference t their migratins and settlement. Their beliefs are therefre, a guide t Lu histry, and itself remains incmprehensible withut this histrical reference. The prfessr hereby pinpints this fact. The (Lu) peple had n great lve fr the land n which they lived, as lng as there was enugh f it fr their cattle, and their crps... This traditinal attitude t land has, hwever, changed fr tw reasns. The suthern migratins f the Niltes tk sme f the grups int frested r frmerly frested areas where an agricultural ecnmy was mre suitable. The result is that the degree f the cattle cmplex in the Niltic wrld decreases as ne mves suthwards frm the Sudan... Mst f the Kenya Lu, fr example, wh traditinally were much mre attached t their flcks than their fields are nw much mre attached t their fields and sme are even prepared t d withut their flcks... There was a grwing sense f the value f land, and the result is that each family tday is clsely tied religiusly and spiritually t the land f its ancestrs (Ogt, 1967). Hwever, this later lve fr land did nt lead int the Lu embracing custmary Bantu features such as the seclusin perid int the cncept f Lu circumcisin. Finally, this wrk is partly inspired t get t grips with the genuine need t rehabilitate this eclipsed aspect f Lu ancestral value. This is necessary t avid it cntributing t the gradual depersnalisatin f the Lu image. This is therefre a small attempt t an therwise huge taste f rehabilitating the verall African persnality, as ne African thinker, Frantz Fann (1971), has put it, The clssal task cnsists in reintrducing man int the wrld, man in his ttality. This clssal task f reintrducing man int the wrld t Fann, was nt fr Africa alne, but als fr the inhumanly industrialised cuntries f the wrld, that are reduced t sub-human materialism. It is in s ding that this wrk seeks t disillusin peple f the Assistant Minister s persuasin, that smacks f misinfrmed ethncentrism. pg. 3

4 CHAPTER ONE Okk Methd (Sldier Ant Methd) The Lu methd f circumcisin differed frm the Bantu methd in that, it was a simple peratin n yunger bys f ver twelve years by lder nes wh had qualified thrugh the painful rdeal. The cnvenient places that the peratin tk place were the grazing fields where the yung herdsby pted t carry ut the peratin. The peratins were supervised by the lder nes, wh nly reprted t the elders n what they had dne and the prgress f the initiates. The yung bys wh had nt gne thrugh the peratin were teased, and called dirty little nes. In sme cases, when smene had cme f age but had nt braced up t suffer the rdeal, even girls wuld nt want t shake hand with him. The peratin was painful and the nes wh were afraid t underg it were chased by the lder nes befre they were caught and frced t g thrugh it. The different methds f Lu circumcisin culd best be carried ut after the Ridhruk methd (see sectin five), had been perfrmed. One methd which the initiates had t brace up t invlved the use f Okk. The Okk is the male sldier ant. The by t underg the peratin had t sit with his legs apart. The Okk wuld then be caught and its incisr like prbscis placed squarely n the cnnective tissue that jins the penial freskin t the male rgan. The Okk wuld then tighten grip t sever thrugh the cnnective tissue. The result f this wuld be that the penial freskin wuld shrink r recil back and remain leaving the part f the male rgan permanently uncvered. This methd is knwn as the Okk methd. The Okk methd was very painful because the Okk culd cling t the cnnective tissue and take its time abut severing it. During this prcess, the bld drips n the ancestral cmmunal grazing field. The graduates f this rdeal were hencefrth cnsidered t have undergne the ancestral circumcisin. The transitinal perid was knwn as pn r initiatin. The initiates preferred using the Okk methd nly in areas where anthills are prevalent. The preference f this methd was therefre dictated by the eclgy f the reddish-brwn sldier ant knwn as Okk Mar Riw. This type f Okk is reprted t prevail in red vlcanic sil areas. Such areas in Luland include Kajulu, Seme and Milamb f Suth Nyanza. The ther type f Okk was the Okk Mar Agr said t avail in black cttn sils. The areas that agr is cmmnly seen are Kan, Uyma and Kanyada. It is believed that the Riw type f Okk is mre effective than the agr type in severing the cnnective tissue. The Okk methd and the Opila methd were the mst painful f all the ther types. Exceptinal endurance amng the candidates was their pride, since it earned them cnsiderable respect amng their Mbas... age grups. It als earned the candidates respectful names like Thwn r Thwndi in plural... meaning brave. pg. 4

5 The fresh initiates, accrding t traditinal Lu nrms, were n lnger expected t sleep in their parents hut. They were expected t sleep in hut knwn as Simba, which was shared by the Mbas befre each built a hut fr his wn. Accrding t the traditinal circumcisin f the Suthern Lu, where Okk methd sught t sever the cnnective tissue, the imprtance f this prcess can be understd frm the fact that during erectin, the eligible initiate yet t underg the peratin, has stping penis. The fre part is stped because the cnnective tissue anchring the freskin t the penis is taut. The taut tissue can stretch t breaking during erectin if the uncircumcised male frce his rgan int a narrw vaginal hymen during intercurse. This makes clear the necessity f serving the tissue during the Lu mde f circumcisin rite. It is ntewrthy, hwever, that when the male rgan is placid, amng the yungsters, the tissue t remains placid. It is cnvenient at this stage t mentin that an age-grup in the Lu sciety is called Mbas, while an age-set is called Tieng. The plural fr Mbas is Mbese. This will be clarified further in Chapter Six. CHAPTER TWO The Win Methd (Flywhisk Methd) The Win methd seems t have been very ppular amng the Suthern Lu. Field wrk findings reveal that it was practised amng mst f the Lu clans. It was als a painful peratin that culd cntinue fr tw, three r even mre days. In this flywhisk strand methd, the peratin prcedure invlved the presence f a thrn knwn as Kuth Alak Tar and ne lng strand frm a flywhisk called Win. The initiate was held dwn by a number f lder nes with his legs apart. The thrn is first used t pierce thrugh the cnnective tissue jining the freskin t the male rgan. As the thrn pierces further, bld drips frm the mutilated part. The Win is then passed thrugh the pening made by the thrn, and kntted tightly rund the circumference f the tissue. The hanging prtins f the Win is trimmed shrt by the use f an arrw blade r just a knife. The trimming f the flywhisk strands hanging frm the genital rgan was necessary t avid playful children. frm accidentally pulling them ff. The peratin had n fficial preparatin but was extempre as the ther methds f Lu circumcisin. The kntted strand wuld slwly cut thrugh the tissue vernight after tw days, r mre, depending n the individuals. The result was that the freskin wuld shrink r recil after the cnnective tissue had been circumcised by the strand f the flywhisk. Since the Lu type f circumcisin was carried ut extempre, there was therefre n fixed seasn in which the candidate culd underg the ritual rdeal in the pasture fields. In Lu ancestral circumcisin, the black strand frm the flywhisk was preferred fr the Win methd. This was because it was nt very cnspicuus n the Lu African skin pigmentatin. It was nt nticeable, fr example, when smene went swimming r bathing with thers, as lng as the peratin lasted. Secndly, the black strand frm the flywhisk was suppsed t be remved pg. 5

6 frm particularly a black bull. It was nt t be gt frm a heifer r a dairy cw. The symblism behind this was that it was t depict the initiate s maturity and manhd that the cncept f initiatin sught t fulfil. During the prcess f flywhisk strand methd in Lu circumcisin, unmelted animal ghee knwn as Mr-Dhiang is applied t the cnnective tissue as lng as it is kntted. The applicatin f this ghee is thught t act as the mdern petrleum jelly substitute, t render the cnnective tissue sft t accelerate the severing prcess f the kntted flywhisk strand. This animal ghee was kept hidden in the pasture fields, inside a cntainer mentined in the Tuchruk methd described in the later sectins. The flywhisk strand methd was the mst widespread f all the methds, and therefre the mst ppular. The reasn can be traced t the Lu pastral traditin, which became almst indispensable amng them. It was frm the tail f the cattle that the flywhisk strand was btained. In the Lu traditinal circumcisin, during the ccasin f the flywhisk strand methd, the aspiring circumcisin candidate was cautined t avid drinking crn mill prridge r gruel. This was advisable since the drinking f gruel r crn mill prridge culd encurage urinating. Urine causes itchy irritatin n the mutilated part f the cnnective tissue f the male genital rgan. The mst painful time f the flywhisk methd is when the thrn Kuth-Alaktar - is used t pierce thrugh the penial cnnective tissue. But nce the flywhisk strand has been tightly kntted arund the cnnective tissue, the pain is relatively minimal. CHAPTER THREE The Opila Methd (Sugarcane Rind Methd) In the Lu mde f circumcisin, candidates wh were t underg the rdeal were expected t display stic curage and endurance during the painful peratin. Betrayal f pain and/r fear marks ne ff as a cward, a stigma which might stick fr the better part f ne s life. The tacit apprval f the elder s attitude twards the ritual peratins encuraged the lder nes wh had undergne the peratin t recruit eligible candidates fr the painful rdeal. One f the mst painful methds in Lu ancestral circumcisin was the Opila methd. In sme different parts f Luland, the sheath-like cver f the millet stalk was widely preferred t than that f sugar cane. In this rdeal, the aspiring candidate t be perated std with his legs astride. The lder bys wuld get hld f him by the arms and legs. In the Opila methd the thrn Kuth Alaktar was first used t pierce thrugh the cnnective tissue f the male rgan. But befre the thrn culd be pulled ut, the sharp blade is used t incise thrugh upt the thrn. The thrn was therefre an anvil n which the blade f the Opila stpped in rder t avid hideus mutilatin f the male rgan. pg. 6

7 In the Opila methd, the net effect becmes the shrinking f the freskin backwards, thereby leaving the fre part f the male rgan uncvered. When carrying ut the Opila methd, the cnnective tissue is first pierced then incised, thereby causing the dripping f bld. The Opila methd was mstly practised by the Lu f the present day Siaya Twn, and its surrunding areas, and sme parts f Suthern Nyanza. This practice was nt very cmmn amng the Lu clans arund the present day Kisumu District. Hwever, the use f the Opila fr severing the umbilical crd during childbirth, and als fr cutting pieces f meat, was universal in Lu ancestral times. In rder t practice the Lu genres f circumcisin, the aspiring candidates were recruited by the lder bys frm the eligible age grup. The eligible age grup in this type f circumcisin was knwn as Mbas Ma Dwar Pn. The exceptinally brave nes were asked t underg the peratin withut being frced, t shw their determinatin t underg the painful rdeal. The bligatin t express curage during the pains f the peratin was surprisingly, mst expected in the Opila and Okk methds. This was because they were the tw mst painful and interesting methds in Lu ancestral circumcisin. T mark and als t remind ne f the gd perfrmance during the endurance test, the exceptinally successful circumcisin graduate (r Thun) was likely t be designated t imprtant strategic psitins during ancestral pre-clnial wars amng ther warrirs. During these wars the exceptinally brave nes culd put n an strich feather attached t the head, r wield the shield, r Kut. (Kut was a special type f shield, different frm the Okumba, which was an rdinary shield, used by any warrir in war). It was this bravery which was expected t be applied when the Thwn was deplyed t defend the ancestral land frm any utside aggressin. The strich feather was knwn as the Osimb. The elders tacit apprval twards the peratin, amng sme Lu clans such as the Mumb clan f Suth Nyanza, culd be nted in the fact that an elder, wh becme prud f his sn s (grandsn s) shw f exceptinal curage during the endurance test, culd award him with a price tken. This act f awarding tkens like chicken r strich feather was hwever nt widely practised amng all the Lu clans.. The cnnective tissue jining the freskin and the male rgan was referred t as the Ondung t differentiate it frm ther bdily tissue. The term Ondun g culd differ accrding t different clans. CHAPTER FOUR Tuchruk Methd (The Piercing Methd) The primrdial methds f circumcisin in the ancestral Lu sciety was typified by the cnstant presence f the thrn knwn as Kuth Alaktar. This was because f the widespread grwth f this species f thrn in Luland. Kuth Alaktar was preferred because f its smth surface, hence it s efficient penetrability, in piercing thrugh the Ondung easily. It was als preferred because f the fact that it culd nt break easily. pg. 7

8 The Tuchruk methd is anther example where it was used. In bth the Win and the Opila methds, the thrn was used in preparatin while in the Tuchruk methd, it is the nly tl used. In this methd, the lder bys wh had undergne the peratin gt hld f the bys t be perated, setting them ready fr the rdeal. The thrn is used t pierce thrugh the Ondung. Since the hind part f the thrn is generally larger than the fre part, the sharp part is pushed further, thereby widening the pening. The widening prcess cntinues until the Ondung is finally severed. Here t, like in the previus cases, the freskin shrinks backwards, leaving the frepart f the male rgan permanently uncvered. The Tuchruk methd, hwever, wasn t very much successful amng certain individuals. Such individuals were required t repeat the prcess by piercing prtins f the Ondung, tw r three times depending n the individual, until the peratin was cmplete. In the Tuchruk methd, and ther methds, the resin f a medicinal herb was used t stp the prfuse dripping f bld frm the severed part. The mst widely used such herb was knwn as Olur Chieng, which was cmpressed t prduce the resin. The resin was then applied t the severed part. In sme ther parts f Luland, fr speedy recvery and healing, the fruit juice f anther medicinal herb knwn as Ochk was used. One ther reasn why Kuth Alaktar was preferred amng sme clans in Luland is that sme individuals were allergic t the pricking effect f sme infectius species f thrns. The infectius thrns culd cause an infectius swell knwn as Yam. Kuth Alaktar did nt cause this tw mar yam. In the Tuchruk and Win methds, an animal ghee knwn as Mr Dhiang was used as jelly, which sftened the Ondung, accelerating the severing prcess. The animal ghee was applied after the peratin. It was suppsed t be kept in an unmelted state knwn as M Mabw, cnvenient fr this case. The unmelted slid ghee als kept the mutilated part frm drying. This ghee was kept in a bwl made f clay knwn as Kasigl. The tp f this Kasigl was made by the circumcisin candidates at the pasture fields. The bwl culd then be kept hidden with the unmelted ghee inside away frm the pests that culd try t eat it. T effectively keep away these pest, mstly ants, frm eating the ghee, the edge f the lid was cemented with clay t seal the tp. In this and the Win methd, ne sizeable clay bwl culd be shared amng ne Tieng age-set f the initiates. CHAPTER FIVE Ridhruk Methd (Peeling Methd) The fifth methd f the Lu genre f circumcisin that was als ppular was the Ridhruk methd. In this type f peratin, the freskin f the male rgan is the part that was mutilated by the peeling prcess. In this methd the penial cnnective tissue is nt mutilated like the ther fur methds. pg. 8

9 Ridhruk methd was the least painful f all the ther methds, thugh aspirants wh wanted t underg the ritual but had n curage were held by frce and perated. This was dne with the legs astride in readiness fr the rdeal. Amng sme clans in Luland, this methd was referred t as Thuanyruk - the terminlgy differing accrding t regins. In this methd, the lder bys after getting hld f the by t be initiated wuld frce back his freskin cntinuusly until the tip f the male genital rgan remained uncvered. Hwever, brave nes culd perfrm the rdeal themselves withut help frm anywhere. Sme preferred t perfrm the peratin bit by bit fr a few days until finally the tip f the penis remained uncvered. It is nly this methd and the Okk methd mentined earlier that did nt include the use f Kuth Alaktar. In this methd, like the thers, the part f the male rgan nrmally cvered by the freskin then starts t develp melanin pigmentatin, since the tip remains uncvered after the peratin. The develpment f mre melanin n this uncvered part is necessary in reducing the tenderness f the penis tip, fstered because it is always cvered by the freskin. This is the methd that did nt require great curage, and therefre the least painful. There was n much bleeding either, particularly fr thse wh pted t carry ut the peratin gradually. There was n need therefre fr medicinal herbs t curb bleeding. But because Ridhruk was the least painful, it was dubbed the methd f cwards. Thse wh wanted t bast f their bravery pted fr the painful methds like the Opila methd. In Lu mde f circumcisin, there were n specialists t act as Craftsmen fr the rituals. It was the reliable accmplished first hand experience f the lder bys wh had gne thrugh the rituals, that rendered them experts t perfrm the ritual n the candidates. Since after the ritual, an initiate had thus acquired a clearance fr marriage (see Chapter Six), it was at this stage that the Ridhruk and the ther methds prved a pre-cnditin befre breaking the virginity cult. The breaking f virginity tk place during the Ndaria, after curtship and ther marriage arrangements had been finalised. During the Ndaria girls frm the nearly married girl s (Miaha) village arrives at the hme where the Miaha is married. This was fr the purpse f witnessing the Ndaria and als t return back with ne f the bldy beddings as evidence f the Miaha s freshness and virginity. During this ccasin, the hymen f the virgin is brken. In this case, if Ridhruk and the ther methds were nt bserved by the man, the narrw hymen f the girl perfrms the act. This causes the bleeding f bth the man and the girl, which is diametrically ppsed t the purpse f the Ndaria which sught t prve the virginity f the new wife, but nt the uncircumcised cnditin f the husband. Fr the husband t prve that he t was uncircumcised n the bridal bed was a stigma that culd stick n his persnality fr the rest f his life. Such accidents have been knwn t break the Ondung by frce during the breaking f the virginity. In Ridhruk methd, there existed cases where the initiatives used t apply the sap frm Euphbia tree n the fre part f rgan t accelerate the peeling prcess. It is ntewrthy, hwever, that this was unppular since the milky sap culd, in sme cases, cause swellings n the rgan. The use f this sap was mstly practised in Suth Nyanza. pg. 9

10 CHAPTER SIX Significance and Meaning f Lu Circumcisin The significance f the custm is that it marks radical changes fr the individual. During that perid, a persn ges thrugh physical, emtinal and psychlgical changes, which takes him frm childhd thrugh adlescence t adulthd. In this chapter, the significance f Lu circumcisin will be highlighted accrding t the physical, emtinal and finally the psychlgical dimensins f the changes that an individual underges during the initiatin rite. One physical imprtance f the circumcisin is that this peratin helped in adulthd because in mst cases peple were knwn t bleed if they indulged in cpulatin befre underging the ritual rdeal. Anther physical imprtance f the custm accrding t the Lu peple was that it marked the acceptance f yuth int adulthd, it was thus a transitinal rite marked by the cutting f the cnnective tissue as symbl f getting rid f the perid childhd, and getting ready fr adulthd, r Pn, as it is referred t amng the Lu. It als had the physical imprtance f bridging yuth and adulthd, initiatin is therefre a central bridge in life. It s initiatin that als bridges the male and the female, fatherhd and mtherhd, since after Pn it signifies the fficial permissin fr marriage and the subsequent bearing f children. A persn culd perfrm sacred rituals after initiatin. The example f this can be fund in the fact that the bys wh had undergne the ritual culd be allwed t perfrm it n yunger nes... In the Lu mde f circumcisin, the graduates wh successfully underwent the pains f the rdeal were then cnsidered respnsible enugh t be able t have the right t inherit the prperty frm the parents. The initiates culd als be able t inherit the widw f a deceased elder brther r relative, t discurage widwhd. The emtinal dimensin f the change undergne was manifested in the bld shed during the painful peratin. The shedding f this bld nt the ancestral land is intended t bind the initiate t the departed members including ancestrs, wh are in the intermediaries with the sacral deities f Lu spiritual life. This was an imprtant rite which emphasised the relatinship f the initiate and the sacred dimensin f life, that is, the physical and the spiritual. Returning hme was a psychlgical change n the initiate like a new birth. The graduates went hme frm the pasture field as new peple, full and respnsible. Anther psychlgical change n the initiate was that it was believed t be a mark f slemn unity and identificatin. The Lu genre f circumcisin identified the initiates as members f Lu peple. It identified the individual with his cmmunity. The psychlgical changes that an initiate underges include the significance f the pains during the peratin. The tlerance f the pangs f the rdeal was tken f the endurance test and prwess pg. 10

11 f the initiate. Betrayal f pain was a sign f cwardice, an attribute that was nt respected amng the male circles in Luland. Hand in glve with psychlgical changes, the initiates cnsidered themselves as a batch f an incumbent age-set, r Tien g that had undergne the same radical experience in their lives. This signified a cmmn bnd that binds the initiates. It is imprtant t clarify that an age grup r Mbas member was ne f thse wh were brn at abut the same time. Therefre age-grup members were all f apprximately the same age. But an age-set, r tien g was made up f yung men wh had undergne initiatin at the same time. Therefre new age-sets were usually frmed at intervals f apprximately after puberty. It is ntewrthy that this cncept f Lu circumcisin ensured that the need fr genital hygiene was bserved as a cncmitant factr, it is als wrth nting that in the Lu mde f circumcisin there was n, equivalence f Bantu traditinal educatin during the seclusin perid. Since there was n seclusin perid in Lu circumcisin, the traditinal schling amng the Lu tk place mstly at the Dul, r bnfire. An elder wuld ften be present at the Dul t inculcate ancestral Lu values t the yung adults (girls were tutred by grandmthers at the Siwindhe). The yung adults themselves culd advice each ther at the Simba. Hwever traditinal educatin practised during the seclusin perid amng the Bantus was nn-existent amng the Lu. CHAPTER SEVEN The Prevalence f Lu Circumcisin Rite in Cntemprary Lu Life Is the Lu mde f circumcisin (lying, dead r nt dying but ging strng? These are the main questins that are lingering in the minds when the persistent f the ritual practise is questinable in cntemprary Lu life. It is ntewrthy that the practice f Lu ritual circumcisin is still peratinal in sme parts f Luland such as parts f Suth Nyanza, Siaya and the vicinities f Lake Victria regins. This persistence can be experienced in the areas f Luland mentined abve, but nt equally true f the urbanised Lu. Only thse wh underwent the peratin befre migrating t the urban areas can be cnsidered t knw abut the painful rdeal. The gradual marginalisatin f the ancestral Lu circumcisin frm the secular ways f life has been accelerated by the rapid ecnmic and scial changes f the mdernizatin prcess. The survival f this Lu ritual has been manifested in cntemprary life by the prevalent existence and practise f the Ridhruk r peeling methd, mentined in Chapter Five f this bk. This methd has managed t survive cnsiderably better than the ther methds because f the fact that it was the mst simple and least painful besides it is a methd that ne culd easily perfrm himself. The result f this preference f the Ridhruk methd, nwadays, is that ancestral methds such as Tuchruk are nt very much thught f nw, yet it was ne f the methds that every Lu by was suppsed t underg befre becming a man. Hwever, even thugh the Lu mde f circumcisin has been affected by sme aspects f scial change, the seclusin perid characteristic f the Bantu ways f initiatin has made the Kenya Gvernment t threaten ablishing this age ld Bantu traditin. In these cases, the seclusin perid pg. 11

12 has always been the prblem at stake. Thanks t the lack f the seclusin perid in the cncept f Lu circumcisin, thereby prmising t give it a new lease f life in the face f Gvernment clampdwn n this aspect f Bantu circumcisin. Examples f such Gvernment actin against age ld cultural practices in Kenya; a District Cmmissiner, in September 1984, expressed his dissatisfactin with lengthy circumcisin ceremnies. The DC was reacting t reprts that half schl age children in varius lcatins in Elgey Marakwet tk up t six mnths and s kept children ut f schl because f ceremnies. The DC said that Kenyans shuld begin t discard r review traditinal practices which interfered with develpment. In this case, the Lu cncept f circumcisin which lacked the perid f seclusin is advantaged t persist in cntemprary life withut making children t avid schl. Anther ntewrthy example f utmded rites is the Maasai ritual circumcisin. The Masai mran, that symbl f tribal curage and pride, is set t disappear. The Gvernment, thrugh the prvincial administratin, has clamped dwn n the practice. Village cmmittees have als been set t help deal with the decree. The then Kajiad DC gave the Masai an ultimatum t abandn the seclusin perid within mnths, and jin their families in the villages. The DC pinted ut that Kajiad district had ne f the lwest levels f educatin, this was due t mranism. Drp-uts are rampant, because after initiatin the yuths never return back t schl. It was clear that any culture which did nt cnfrm t the mdern aspiratins f the cuntry is intlerable. The recurrent prblem wrth emphasising here is the seclusin perid which required the yuth t remain islated in a secluded area, even fr five years in sme cases. Hwever, the Maasai mutilatin f the male rgan as an peratin in itself has never been a central issue at stake. It is due t the seclusin perid that schl attendance has been affected in such areas. This fact was recgnised by the DC. He directed that schl bys be circumcised during the schl hlidays. This prved very successful in the August schl hlidays f 1985 lasting fr nly nine days. Therefre it is cmmendable that a special effrt has been made t remuld the minds f sme Kenyans twards the benefits f scial change t review superfluus aspects f cultural practices, such as the seclusin perid which if extended has prved diametrically ppsed t the aspiratins f cntemprary life style and develpments. Therefre circumcisin as an peratin can still persist in mdern life. The sustaining f ld traditins is as much a way f present life in Kenya, the Ministry f Culture is aware that the revival f ur custms is nt a sign f being a culture vulture (r nstalgic), but a way f life that everyne is happy nt t have behind as lng as it is nt against prgress. Times are changing and if certain aspects f the ld age are rescued frm the past it is t add a carefree dimensin t ur current life. Even thugh the lack f seclusin perid in the cncept f Lu circumcisin has std it in gd stead in the face f Gvernment review f sme aspects f Bantu initiatin, the revival fr the survival f Lu circumcisin need mre enthusiastic practitiners in present Lu life. Therefre it is ntewrthy that quite a number f peple frm Luland have undergne the peratin, but a large number f the yung generatin, especially the urbanised, have nt heard f the ritual rdeal. In the present times sme Lu yuth have heard abut it but have nt bthered t underg the peratin. pg. 12

13 CHAPTER EIGHT The Future and Effects f Cntemprary Change n Lu Circumcisin The wave f cntemprary change and westernisatin has threatened t affect Lu ancestral circumcisin in several ways. The new factrs which affect the Lu custm include the cncept f urbanisatin which has resulted int rural urban mbility, frcing the mdern Lu t search fr jbs in twns and dwell there. Sme f them have settled in these twns with their families, resulting int the eclipse f the custmary practice amng the Lu yuths. This is because they n lnger held cattle in the grazing fields where the custmary ritual was practised. The mdern mneyed ecnmy frces the parents t hire herdsmen t graze the cattle back at the cuntryside. Western educatin has als aggravated the mdern Lu yuth s ignrance in the traditinal initiatin rite. The pst-clnial schl as an institutin f learning has encuraged the teaching f western cultural values and beliefs in the educatinal system. The ancestral nrm that every eligible age-grup had t g thrugh the rite f passage, in rder t be cnsidered an initiate wh had graduated, has nwadays been relaxed by cntemprary permissiveness f the scial rder. This has been made wrse by the influence f mdern affluence in present sciety. Cntemprary sedentary way f life has als resulted int the reductin f the number f livestck amng the pastral Lu, this has affected the practice f the flywhisk methd (win) in the Lu mde f circumcisin since it was frm the Bull s tail that the flywhisk was btained. The future f the cncept f Lu circumcisin is partly uncertain because f the present vilatin f the virginity cult, yet it is ntewrthy that the breaking f the hymen in marriage prvided a necessary pre cnditin fr bserving the ritual. Despite temprary changes in Lu, cultural practices the Ridhruk methd s future in the cncept f Lu circumcisin may keep persisting deriving this persistence t its simplicity. The ignrance f sme urbanised Lu yuth abut the ritual practice has frced sme f them t resrt t the hspital fr the bservatin f the ritual. But in the mdern hspitals the yuth have ended up surgically cutting the male freskin f the genital rgan, instead f the cnnective tissue jining the male rgan and the freskin as was the case f the Lu ancestral circumcisin. In the hspital, anaesthesia is applied t render the male rgan insensitive t pain during the peratin. This is ppsed t the significance f the endurance test, which was meant t gauge the manly prwess f the individual underging the peratin. The Lu type f circumcisin has nwadays mved ut f its age ld practice f carrying ut the rdeal, and has acquired the designatin f a surgical peratin in mdern medical clinics. The mdern medical clinics have made use f the surgical blade r the pair f scissrs, t cut the freskin f the male rgan, but have nt made use f the Opila r the Win t sever the cnnective tissue jining the freskin t the male rgan. In restrspect, Lu ancestral circumcisin shuld adjust with cntemprary change. There is nthing superfluus in, say, a strand f mdern synthetic fibre replacing it strand f flywhisk, used pg. 13

14 in the Win methd f Lu circumcisin. There is als nthing utmded in a mdern surgen pricking the cnnective tissue cnnecting the freskin and the male rgan, then incising it with a surgical blade t replace the thrn and the blade f Opila f Lu circumcisin. This can be in line with the way the surgical blade has replaced the knife in secular Bantu circumcisin (in the mdern hspitals) by being used t sever the freskin. We must nt cnfuse cultural simplicity with pverty fr there is n pint in clinging t practices and habits which arse merely frm a lack f smething better, what we need t d is t develp a culture based n the Lu (r African) traditins, yet nt shunning internatinal cntacts and develpment. Tm Mbya, in an address t tile East African Academy Furth Sympsium, at Makerere Cllege, 19th September, 1966, shed sme light n this prblem f transitin: But whatever studies we undertake, it must be realised that the East African is a child f and participant in the events f twentieth century. If we d nt bear this in mind we might arrive at false cnclusins in the mistaken belief that ur present day east Africa belngs t the Africa f the nineteenth century. In fact sme f what we call mdern institutins have been cnceived right here in East Africa and are neither freign nr alien t ur peple. The impact f such institutins wuld differ frm thse imprted frm abrad. Suffice is t say, that even thugh sme intellectuals like Mbya wuld prpse adjustments int the twentieth century (in East Africa including Luland), care shuld be taken t avid cases f maladjustment in sciety in an effrt t tally with the pace f scial change, that has characterised the acculturatin prcess. The watered-dwn aspects f ur traditinal values may nt all be successfully cnfrmed with present transitinal Sciety. CONCLUSION Hithert, that the Lu cmmunity had always been underging their wn unique methds f ancestral circumcisin has been cluded frm the awareness f mst Kenyans. This is evident frm the very fact that varius ethnic grups in Kenya have cined wrds in their different vernacular, t refer t the uncircumcised nes, particularly beamed at the Lu peple. Fr example, the Bantu f central prvince refer t the uncircumcised as Kihii r Kahee (just t mentin ne example). This miscnceptin has been sparked ff by nne ther than an Assistant Minister in 1981 mentined in the prlgue t this bk. T the Assistant Minister the uncircumcised were liable t being inflicted by penis cancer. The Assistant Minister added that, this culd be cntagius resulting int the cancer f the cervix amng yung girls wh had intercurse with the uncircumcised. This allegatin was rendered flimsy since the Assistant Minister never tabled medical evidence t supprt his utterance. The Assistant Minister s apparent machinatins against this aspect f Lu way f life was never secnded by a majrity f hnurable representatives. T dismiss the allegatin it has been widely dcumented that this type f cancer is benign, and that the malignant type is knwn t affect bth the uncircumcised and the circumcised males. The allegatin was therefre a mere figment f the Assistant Minister s imaginatin that nly succeeded int reflecting his blinkers n this aspect f Lu cultural life. pg. 14

15 This allegatin in particular is symptmatic f a prevailing blindspt in the heretfre interpretatin f Lu custms, and is the lacuna that this wrk seeks t reintrduce nce and fr all, the cncept f authentic ancestral Lu circumcisin rite. It is the reintrductin f Lu circumcisin as it really were but nt in terms that it was presumed t be. It is in s ding that this wrk seeks t live up t retrieving this salient aspect f Lu cultural practice. This therefre cntributes t the verall task f repersnalisatin f nt nly the Lu but als the African f which the Lu are kin. Okt p Bitek has written in his bk African Religins in Western Schlarship; the African schlar has tw clear tasks befre him. First, t expse and destry all false ideas abut African peples, and cultures that have been perpetuated by western schlarships, he adds secnd the African, schlar must endeavur t present the institutins f African peples as they really are These tw clear tasks facing the African schlar in present-day Africa, are the central cncerns f this bk. It has been the central task f this wrk t prve the frmer Assistant Minister wrng in nt nly alleging penis cancer amng the Lu but als t prve that the Lu peple had always practised the ritual mutilatin f the male genital rgan. GLOSSARY DUOL - This was the bnfire where an elder wuld gather with the bys fr teaching abut the traditinal values f the cmmunity. KASIGLO - This was the cntainer used t keep ghee either at the hmestead, r casually made by the circumcisin graduates in the pasture fields, fr applicatin n the mutilated part f the male sex rgan. KUOT - This is a traditinal shield different frm the rdinary ne knwn as Okumba. The Kut was a special shield wielded by the exceptinally brave warrirs. KUTH ALAKTAR - This thrn is frm a tree f the acacia family (Acacia Radiana). MBAS - This wrd refers t the age-grup system. These are the age-mates wh were brn at abut the same time. MIAHA - This is a term referring t the newly married virgin wife wh had nt yet given birth. MO MABWO - This is the unmelted state f animal ghee. The melted state was knwn as M Mleny. MOR DHIAN G - This ghee is the ne btained frm the milk f a dairy cw. NDARIA - This was an ccasin when girls frm the newly married wife s hme (Miaha) wuld cme t witness the breaking f the Miaha s virginity and then g back with the bldy beddings t act as evidence fr her freshness. pg. 15

16 OCHOK - This type f herb culd alternatively be used amng sme clans instead f the Ojuk during the Tuchruk methd. The btanical term fr the Ochk is Salanum incanum r Sdm apple. OJUOK - This type f Euphrbia is used in the Ridhruk methd. The sap frm the tree is applied during the peratin. The btanical term fr the Ojuk is Euphrbla tirucalli r finger Euphrbia. OKOKO - This is the male ant cmmnly fund in the trpics scientifically knwn as Marcrtermitinae, by the entmlgists. OKOKO MAR AGORO - This type, f ant is Cmmnly fund in trpical black cttn sil. The entmlgical reference is Macrterminae subnylinus. OKOKO MAR RIWO - This type f ant is cmmnly fund in vlcanic red sils. The entmlgical term used t describe it is Macrterminae Michalseni. OLUORO CHIEN G - This type f herb is ften used t curb bleeding in the ancestral days. The btanical wrd fr the herb is Ageratum cnyzides. ONDUON G - This term refers t the cnnective tissue jining the freskin t the inner dermis f the male genital. OPILA - This is the sheath-like cver f the sugar cane r srghum stalk. PON - The initiatin f yungsters int adulthd frm childhd. This is usually marked by a rite f passage. RIDHRUOK r THUANYRUOK - This wrd refers t the peeling prcess such as the ne mentined in the cncept f Lu cirmcumcisin. SIMBA - This is tile wrd referring t a hut that belngs t the unmarried bys wh are fresh initiates. THWON - This is a term used t describe the bravely f the initiate wh has successfully undergne the painful rdeal. TIEN G - This was the age-set system. The age-set members were the nes wh had undergne initiatin tgether. TUO MAR YAMO - This was a term referring t a swllen part inflicted by the sap f Ojuk r a tumur. WINO - This is the flywhisk strand used in the Lu type f circumcisin. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ayay, Ochla. Lu Cultures. pg. 16

17 Benedict, Ruth Cntinuities and discntinuities f cultural cnditining. Psychiatry, May 1939, Daily Natin D.C. Discards Outmded Rites. Daily Natin, September 29, Daily Natin D.C. Bans Circumcisin During Schl Term, Daily Natin, August 16, 1985, p. 3. Frantz, Fann, Frantz The Wretched f the Earth. Penguin Bks, pp. 81. Gerge, Catherine Civilized Eurpe lks at Primitive Africa , A Study in Ethncentricism, in The Idea f the Primitive (ed. Ashley Mntangue), New Yrk and Lndn, p Hrnsby, A.S. & E.C. Parnwell. Internatinal Readers Dictinary; Definitin f Circumcisin. Kenya Hansard Reprt Debate n Penis Cancer, December 2, Mbya, Tm The Impact f Mdern Institutins n the East African. (East African Academy Furth Sympsium), Makerere Cllege, 19th September, Mkangi, Katama A Scilgical Review, The Friday Standard, p. 16 August 23, Ogt, B.A Histry f the Suthern Lu. Vl. I (E.A.P.H., Nairbi) pp. 3. Okt p Bitek African Religins in Western Schlarsh ips, p. 7, Omr, Edwin The Making f a Man in Luland. Sunday Standard. January 31, 1982, pp. 7. Turner, Victr The Ritual Prcess: On Limitatin. (Lndn, 1969). ABOUT THE AUTHOR DAN OMONDI K AOKO The authr was brn n 31st January, 1959 in Nyanza Prvince f Kenya. He attended his primary schl educatin at the Pumwani, Mariakani and Nairbi Suth primary schls frm where he prceeded t Migei Secndary Schl and the Agr Sare High Schl in Suth Nyanza District, Nyanza. Prvince. He is a cultural anthrplgist Ex Prfess and has taught histry and African religius heritage in several schls in Kisumu, and has an interest in African cultural revlutin and currently is invlved in Lu cultural exegesis. In this bk, he undertakes the frmidable task f demythlgising the miscnceptin surrunding the making f a man in Luland. He further re-intrduces the whle gamut f Lu methds f ancestral circumcisin as they really were. Herein therefre is unmiscnceived interpretatin f ancestral Lu custms in gestatin pg. 17