Feature: Circumcision, a centuries' old initiation ritual in mountainous eastern Uganda
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Feature: Circumcision, a centuries' old initiation ritual in mountainous eastern Uganda
by Ronald Ssekandi /Yuan Qing
MBALE, Uganda, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- High up in mountainous eastern Uganda sounds of horns, whistles, drums and bells go through the valleys announcing the biennial traditional circumcision, a centuries' old initiation ritual into adulthood among the Bamasaba people.
Bamasaba is a group of people belong to the Bagisu tribe which is settled on Mt Elgon ranges which straddles the common border between eastern Uganda and western Kenya.
Although the origin of traditional circumcision among the Bamasaba is still shrouded in mystery, the ritual commonly known as Imbalu is so powerful among them.
Every man in this tribe must be circumcised traditionally using a blunt knife and herbs without any anesthesia. After going through this painful process then one can be described as a man and not a child any more.
Even the dead who were not circumcised must face the crude knife before they are buried.
Stories are told of how senior government officials hailing from this part of the country have been forcefully circumcised following their failure to fulfill the ritual.
According to 42 year old Joseph Masabasi who was circumcised about 28 years ago, circumcision is a traditional inspiration that comes naturally.
"We as the Bamasaba, this thing started long time ago. So we are proud of it. When you are not circumcised, your age mates do not respect you, you are still a child," he said.
Every even year is circumcision year. Teenage boys from as far as western Kenya are brought here at Mutoto, in the eastern Ugandan district of Mbale where it is believed that the first Mugisu was circumcised.
It is a time of merry making where local brew, food and dancing is in plenty weeks before the official launch of the starting of the circumcision period and days after the inauguration.
When a teenage boy voluntarily announces that he is ready for circumcision, he is taken through various rituals that will make him strong to face the knife used when cutting off the foreskin of his penis.
In some other clans within the Bagisu, the boy is required to seek consent of his maternal uncles by visiting them with his mother before circumcision is announced.
After gaining consent, there are three days of preparation before the D-Day.
Several rituals are performed including smearing of yeast and local brew on the candidates as they keep dancing and singing Imbalu songs moving from relative to relative announcing their intentions.
Come the D�Cday, the candidates are circumcised in public where there is a lot of ululations praising them for their bravery and welcoming them into adulthood.
"They give them some herbs, they chew and they are smeared with goat dung. When this is done, the boys turn brave and now have the morale to face the knife," said Masabasi
However, overtime there has been increasing concern over the way the ritual is carried out with questions raised over the hygiene.
Although the traditional surgeons insist that the whole process is hygienic, medical personnel saying that there are many risks that may be involved especially the wound getting septic.
"One candidate one knife. After cutting one candidate, you wash your hands with plenty of water and soap before touching the second candidate with us the Bagisu, they stay three days before dressing the wound and that is why you see we have a problem with tetanus," said Masabasi, who is also a traditional surgeon.
There is also increasing debate regarding scientific research that circumcision reduces the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS by 60 percent.
The country's President Yoweri Museveni has argued that it is not enough to promote circumcision as an effective strategy in fighting HIV/AIDS, without continued emphasis on behavior change.
He said campaigns aimed at reducing infection levels ought to concentrate on advocating good behavior: abstinence for unmarried people and faithfulness among those in wedlock.
According to the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, there is compelling evidence that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60 percent.
WHO/UNAIDS recommendations emphasize that male circumcision should be considered an effective intervention for HIV prevention in countries and regions with heterosexual epidemics, high HIV and low male circumcision prevalence.
However, they said, male circumcision provides only partial protection and should, therefore, be only one element of a comprehensive HIV prevention package which includes: provision of HIV testing and counseling services; treatment for sexually transmitted infections; promotion of safer sex practices; provision of male and female condoms and promotion of their correct and consistent use.
The Ministry of Health and various partners in Uganda, including local government leaders, are promoting circumcision throughout the country and equipping health centers, among other health facilities, to conduct safe male circumcision.
Since the launch of this nationwide exercise, the Bamasaba have been praised for already practicing circumcision, although the region's HIV infection rate is only slightly less than the national average of 7.3 percent.
Bamasaba elders argue that although circumcision does not entirely prevent HIV/AIDS, it at least reduces the risk of contracting the virus by 60 percent.
They also argue that circumcision reduces the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis.
For now the circumcision ritual remains a strong cultural practice among the Bagisu. Young men and women are traversing the hills of Bamasaba land celebrating the boys who are preparing to undergo the ritual. Enditem
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