Elders vs Church: Who’s in charge of circumcision?

As dawn breaks over Bukusuland on the first day of August, the air is suddenly rent by the ringing of bells announcing the start of circumcision season. 

This is a highly revered season among the Bukusu, a Luhya community in Western Kenya deeply rooted in tradition.

It is marked with lots of celebrations with music, food and traditional beer in plenty and takes places in August and December every even year. 

Preparations begin two months before circumcision day, which falls on school holidays.

Before the actual day, an initiate takes a chicken to a local blacksmith who gives him two bells in exchange.

"All candidates whose bells are ready gather at a central point each night and trek for several kilometres rehearsing circumcision songs up to as late as 2am," elder Christopher Shitiavai says.

As the day nears, each candidate visits all his relatives’ homes ringing the bells to invite them to the ceremony.

Shitiavai says the day before facing the knife, an initiate visits his maternal uncles and picks one of them who will stand by him throughout the process.

He is also gifted a bull.

Very early in the morning on D-day, tens of stark naked boys covered in mud are escorted by singing and dancing villagers round the village.

Braving the biting cold they then head to the river to wash. "The water makes the skin numb and reduces the pain during the cut," Shitiavai says.

After washing they apply mud on their faces and are escorted back to their homesteads.

An initiate is circumcised in front of his father's house in public by a traditional circumciser and without anaesthetic. He is not supposed to flinch but to be stoic as a sign of courage. 

"Cowardice is hugely condemned and those that cry or show fear are whipped by the crowd. The stable ones are highly rewarded," Shitiavai says.

Training follows under the guidance of elders as the initiates recuperate.

Circumcision is the most common rite of passage marking a boy’s passage into manhood in most Kenyan communities.

Globally 30 per cent of men are circumcised, mostly for religious reasons especially among the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism).

In many African societies, male circumcision is carried out for cultural reasons.

Scientifically, male circumcision has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by 60 per cent.

It also reduces the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and recurrent urinary tract infections, as well as prevents penile cancer in men and cervical cancer in women.

The Tachoni and Sabaot from Western Kenya also circumcise their boys in elaborate ceremonies, which are some of Kenya’s biggest and most expensive exhibitions of culture.

One difference between the communities' ceremonies, however, is while the Bukusu face west during circumcision, the Tachoni and Sabaot face east.

"It is an expensive affair. Two bulls are slaughtered during the ceremony. One at the home of the initiate and the other at his maternal uncle’s place. That amounts to Sh35,000," Shitiavai says.

Families that slaughter just one bull are looked down upon and considered poor, so most strive to slaughter two to save face.

"There is also traditional brew [Busaa], crates of beer, food budget, tent and chairs to hire. The whole ceremony can cost at least Sh60,000," the Luhya elder says.

Inasmuch as these communities take pride in upholding their culture, it is under threat from modernisation.

Churches and hospitals have taken it upon themselves to facilitate the transition from childhood to adulthood.

HOSPITAL

At Makongeni Health Facility in Homa Bay county, a young boy lies calmly on a surgical bed, his hands intertwined behind his head.

The surgery lasts about 10-20 minutes and, thanks to anaesthesia, he feels no pain. Patients heal in about two weeks.

The boy is in hospital following a campaign to encourage more males in Nyanza to get circumcised. 

Voluntary medical male circumcision campaigns were launched following concerns about the high HIV prevalence in the region. 

Nyanza, in Western Kenya, makes up 10 per cent of the country's population but accounts for nearly half of its HIV burden, according to the HIV county profiles 2016 report.

“We mobilise the boys in schools and we give talks and have a community mobiliser who goes door to door to discuss the benefits of circumcision,” Evans Hamisi, a surgeon, told Elizabeth Glaser Foundation.

But Amuumoni clan national secretary Geoffrey Mutua strongly opposes the idea of circumcising boys in hospital.

He says in the Eastern counties the majority of children are now circumcised at the age of four and five years.

"Our culture is losing its grip. Surely, what can you teach a four/five-year-old about culture? Parents are really failing by bringing up children who do not know their culture," he says.

CHURCH

Churches too have come up with initiation programmes for teenagers.

The Presbyterian Church of East Africa facilitates circumcision for boys and mentorship for girls through a programme called ROPES (Rights of Passage Experiences).

They offer teachings to 13 and 14 year olds on topics such as sexuality and HIV-Aids in a year-long programme that is crowned with a week-long camp.

According to their website, ROPES was developed out of a need to give young people guided transition from childhood to adulthood.

On Monday James Waithaka will join a group of boys at Anglican Church Kiambu for a 10-day initiation programme.

He will pay Sh14,000 for the counselling, circumcision and boarding.

"I am looking forward to facing the 'big' knife. My friends have also paid for the same programme [I hope] to heal fast," Waithaka says.

On the reporting day, he will receive a tetanus jab and will be taught what the programme is all about by the counsellors.

On the second day, a doctor and his team will circumcise the boys in one of the rooms which is transformed into a surgical theatre.

A church committee identifies topics that are relevant to the growth and development of youths. The doctor visits twice a day to check on the boys.

On the tenth day, a graduation ceremony is held with relatives of the initiates present. Certificates are awarded during the colourful ceremony.

St James ACK  started the programme in 2009 to help boys who were abusing drugs and joining gangs, according to their website.

The church says research shows young men are initiated into drug use and gangs  during the circumcision process

"The church decided to fill the void by starting the alternative programme in a Christian setting."

In 2011, due to popular demand, the church introduced and alternative rite of passage for girls. The programme has grown since then.

"Since 2009, about 876 boys and 172 girls have undergone the alternative rite of passage through counselling and life skills sessions."

Bishop Godfrey Migwi says the church has stood up to fill the cultural and moral gap created by modernisation. "The church offers topics important to the growing child," he says.

Other churches that facilitate circumcision of boys are Parklands Baptist and Christ is The Answer Ministries.

ELDERS SAY...

Kikuyu Council of Elders secretary general Peter Munga says the church has no right to counsel initiates.

"Circumcision is a cultural affair. It's a passage from childhood to adulthood and wazees [elders] are the custodians," Munga says.

He argues that even Jesus respected Jewish traditions. Munga says the initiation process varies from community to community.

"When you mix boys from different communities what culture are you teaching them?" he poses.

He says the church makes millions from the alternative rite of passage programmes.

"It's a business affair. A boy will pay Sh15,000 for the programme yet the churches are conveyors of Western theology."

He says Kikuyu boys should adhere to Kikuyu culture. "In the Kikuyu culture, boys aged 14/15 should ask for permission from their maternal uncles [and their] blessings," Munga says.

"The boy's maternal uncle is his confidant. It is very important to get blessings from him." 

Munga says the boy must look for a 'mutiiri' (godfather), who is older than him and is a person of moral integrity.

The circumciser is in charge of circumcision and is in charge of what to teach the initiates.

Munga says counselling initiates is a lifelong duty carried out by the elders.

In 2018 Bukusu elders warned churches and NGOs against providing parallel, free circumcision to boys.

“We don’t want this free circumcision by strangers who don’t even know our culture. They should offer their services elsewhere,” Bukusu cultural chairman Peter Masinde said.

He said they have nothing to offer towards the cultural well-being of the community.

Medics in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma have urged the county governments to ensure high hygienic standards are observed by circumcisers.

They say the knives used by the circumcisers should be sterilised to avoid the spread of diseases.

“Studies have indicated that some boys contracted HIV and other STIs during circumcision since one unsterilised knife was used on different boys. We urge that this is avoided,” says Dr Isaac Chetambe, a surgeon from Kiminini.