TRADITIONAL CIRCUMCISION IN WESTERN KENYA
Western Kenya is a well known region in traditional circumcision among sub tribes search like Bukusu , Taehoni , Tiriki , Banyala , Idakho and many others.
In every even year boys are circumcised in traditional ceremony which is accompanied by traditional songs and motivating the the youth and showing them on what to do as the warriors of the clan.
After consulting the father he provides a male cow or a he goat for the ceremony and not a sheep. Then construct for the boy a likombe (a small hut). The boy then gets the jingles (chinyimba) ready which are used in a process called khulanga|khuwuchisia
The last person to be called is paternal uncle. Before the material daya small pot is kept outside the fathers house. In this pot the fermented maize flour (makhalange) that is fried . The boy is ordered to go to the river and fetch water in accompany of other two boys and are ordered not to look backward. These show how brave the boy is and if he looks behind that send a message of cowardice and the boy might cry during the circumcision and that was treated as a shame to the family and the all clan. The father pours makhalange in the pot and the boy pours water these process is called khuchukhila which means pouring. Then the drink is meant for the circumcise r and some old men who will advice the boy after circumcision.
After some period of time or some days of (okhuwuchisia) coaching and playing songs that are being accompanied by jingles which are bieng played by the boy. The practice of circumcising is undertaken by (omukhebi) the traditional circumciser whom is said to have (emisambwa) in possession of circumcising spirits.
In the evening another larger pot of traditional brew (emange) made where dancing process called khuminya take place. The pot is places at the center of the fathers house and the age mate of the boy's father in this case known as bakoki will open the beer with money or something valuable.
The liquor is taken using straws known as lutseshe and then permits other people to take it. Then around 9pm to 10pm the boy is fed to his satisfaction . He is taken to small shrine known as namwima. The namwima shrine is for pouring libations to the ancestors. A piece of meat , blood called kamalasere and traditional beer is kept in the shrine. The meat is placed on the twig and then placed at the center of the shrine. these is meant for the ancestors to feed on . Another animal should should have been slaughtered in advance and stomach torn apart.The stomach waste (busee) is smeared to the boy from head to chest while uttering some words (paternal uncle, dad or cousin). Another neck less is made from what uncle had made.
Then the boy is ordered to play jingles chinyimba as some funny songs are sung to him and the busaa is also being taken by straws or lucheshe from the port which is not allowed to run empty is constantly done to keep the man awake.The women are not allowed to partake the emange using the drinking straw.
Past midnight the boy is allowed to sleep for some few hours to 3 O clock where he is woken up to be taken to the river where khulonga(A process of putting mad on the boys head and between the eyes with some smeared on the chest,hand and the whole body.These is done by cousin in the river as the boy is totally naked and a particular type of grass called lusinyande is plucked and stuck on the head. The process is called lwanautu and then his sister carries the clothes, she also undergoes some rituals of mud smearing onto the face, hands and legs, she is the one who will be preparing food for his brother.
A few meter from the river, the sioyoya is sang which continues until they arrive home stopping the singing only a few meters from the house stopping the singing only a few meter, from the house, but these time using a different route. There is a mythical believe that it is not safe to use the same route as a witch might have planted some charms which might harm the boy.
Before the boy arrives home , his aunt comes running with a cooking stick in an attempt to slap him. At these particular time the boy is expected to discourage such moves by blocking it.it is believed that he is portraying courage and she returns home to inform others that the boy is actually ready for circumcision . The boy and the father of the boy can be actually be identified from the people as he is visibly seen wrapped in the blanked.
The father then leads to theson to where he stands at a akimbo. the circumser cuts the boy within a fraction of a min, no eye blinking or shaking, the boy should exhibit. after the circumcision is over the boy can not seat down until his father gives him a present, in of his manhood and other people gives the boy presents as they sing, dance around the circumcised boy ten taken to the likombe where he will stay until he heals. while being taken care by the sister(machengeche)
by Hassan Idris
Western Kenya is a well known region in traditional circumcision among sub tribes search like Bukusu , Taehoni , Tiriki , Banyala , Idakho and many others.
In every even year boys are circumcised in traditional ceremony which is accompanied by traditional songs and motivating the the youth and showing them on what to do as the warriors of the clan.
After consulting the father he provides a male cow or a he goat for the ceremony and not a sheep. Then construct for the boy a likombe (a small hut). The boy then gets the jingles (chinyimba) ready which are used in a process called khulanga|khuwuchisia
The last person to be called is paternal uncle. Before the material daya small pot is kept outside the fathers house. In this pot the fermented maize flour (makhalange) that is fried . The boy is ordered to go to the river and fetch water in accompany of other two boys and are ordered not to look backward. These show how brave the boy is and if he looks behind that send a message of cowardice and the boy might cry during the circumcision and that was treated as a shame to the family and the all clan. The father pours makhalange in the pot and the boy pours water these process is called khuchukhila which means pouring. Then the drink is meant for the circumcise r and some old men who will advice the boy after circumcision.
After some period of time or some days of (okhuwuchisia) coaching and playing songs that are being accompanied by jingles which are bieng played by the boy. The practice of circumcising is undertaken by (omukhebi) the traditional circumciser whom is said to have (emisambwa) in possession of circumcising spirits.
In the evening another larger pot of traditional brew (emange) made where dancing process called khuminya take place. The pot is places at the center of the fathers house and the age mate of the boy's father in this case known as bakoki will open the beer with money or something valuable.
The liquor is taken using straws known as lutseshe and then permits other people to take it. Then around 9pm to 10pm the boy is fed to his satisfaction . He is taken to small shrine known as namwima. The namwima shrine is for pouring libations to the ancestors. A piece of meat , blood called kamalasere and traditional beer is kept in the shrine. The meat is placed on the twig and then placed at the center of the shrine. these is meant for the ancestors to feed on . Another animal should should have been slaughtered in advance and stomach torn apart.The stomach waste (busee) is smeared to the boy from head to chest while uttering some words (paternal uncle, dad or cousin). Another neck less is made from what uncle had made.
Then the boy is ordered to play jingles chinyimba as some funny songs are sung to him and the busaa is also being taken by straws or lucheshe from the port which is not allowed to run empty is constantly done to keep the man awake.The women are not allowed to partake the emange using the drinking straw.
Past midnight the boy is allowed to sleep for some few hours to 3 O clock where he is woken up to be taken to the river where khulonga(A process of putting mad on the boys head and between the eyes with some smeared on the chest,hand and the whole body.These is done by cousin in the river as the boy is totally naked and a particular type of grass called lusinyande is plucked and stuck on the head. The process is called lwanautu and then his sister carries the clothes, she also undergoes some rituals of mud smearing onto the face, hands and legs, she is the one who will be preparing food for his brother.
A few meter from the river, the sioyoya is sang which continues until they arrive home stopping the singing only a few meters from the house stopping the singing only a few meter, from the house, but these time using a different route. There is a mythical believe that it is not safe to use the same route as a witch might have planted some charms which might harm the boy.
Before the boy arrives home , his aunt comes running with a cooking stick in an attempt to slap him. At these particular time the boy is expected to discourage such moves by blocking it.it is believed that he is portraying courage and she returns home to inform others that the boy is actually ready for circumcision . The boy and the father of the boy can be actually be identified from the people as he is visibly seen wrapped in the blanked.
The father then leads to theson to where he stands at a akimbo. the circumser cuts the boy within a fraction of a min, no eye blinking or shaking, the boy should exhibit. after the circumcision is over the boy can not seat down until his father gives him a present, in of his manhood and other people gives the boy presents as they sing, dance around the circumcised boy ten taken to the likombe where he will stay until he heals. while being taken care by the sister(machengeche)
by Hassan Idris
Sawa mzee baba��
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ReplyDeleteWazii
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