Why should we be forced to adopt a culture that is not ours? Should a woman find herself alone, she'll wait to join a group so she doesn't join the party by herself. Three of us sat on the ground together, sharing one plate and one spoon, taking a bite and passing it on. a group of elders spearheading the formation of a new age-set. Warriors will choose certain mothers to relocate at the emanyatta Amidst the veldt and scrub, men talked, drank, and danced occasionally. Ledama Olekina is the founder and president of Maasai Education Discovery (www.maasaieducationdiscovery.org). no longer undergo through circumcision. The Maasai are not the only tribe in Tanzania, and Africa as a whole, who have a strict social system and who practise circumcision. Girls who are not circumcised, it is argued, are immoral, make rude wives and daughters-in-law. The Maasai women all seemed to be happy to be circumcised. at the age of about 35 years. My attention naturally went to the rites of passage for girls. She will stay in bed for four weeks and will be fed animal blood and meat to regain her strength. This is the world dreamed of by the women leading the movement to end female genital mutilation (FGM). Education is a powerful tool for all of us to reexamine and question those beliefs, and to change those that no longer serve us, or even to our detriment sometimes. Today, because the procedure often has to take place in hiding, female circumcision is mostly performed using shared and unsterilized objects, which can lead to HIV/AIDS and tetanus, and damage organs including the vaginal walls. They sang, their voices carried. The ban was against female genital mutilation (FGM), simply put, female circumcision. Editors note: The views expressed are the authors own and do not represent the views of Matador Network. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Jing Jin and her community. their wives' former lovers will take advantage of her. for their territory. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. The Maasai are not alone: many other Kenyan tribes circumcise girls as a mark of maturity from childhood. Many Maasai families cannot afford to give their children formal schooling, so to protect their daughters from lives of poverty they choose to marry them off at a young age. camp. Local children were crying and running away in fear from our car. Meanwhile, a line of Maasai warriors gathered in a straight line, their warrior shouts punctuating the once still air. For as out of place as I was, the men paid little attention to me. The Kenyan government had made it a criminal offence to practice FGM in 2002. to her father or relativ's home to obtain a female cow. As the world marks the annual International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on Feb. 6, the U.N.s commitment to ending a practice it calls a violation of the human rights of girls and women, its worth remembering just how far away that goal remains. it is seen as backward. In the distance, Maasai women descended from the hills. Originally from the U.S. Daniel has lived abroad since 2001 and most recently has been on the road since 2006. Bottles of Coke and Fanta were handed into our space. olkiteng, chief of the boys, must be chosen. In some areas this percentage is as high as 95%, and as many as 50% of the women were operated on when they were between 10 and 15 years old. The white and blue colored cloth, the Maasai nation's stage of life is a transition to an elder. With the rise of external Later we had a break by the nearby lake. about Maasai rite of passage. She is the first-born in a family of five. Good timing, and even better hospitality. A camp for Enkang e-kule, the milk ceremony. I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the freedom, the opportunities, the beauty and love around me. Mud was smeared on their faces by local elders while the rest of their peers danced. one of the women said to me. have been unfaithful to the age-set. Every decade or so the Emuratare (circumcision) is opened for several years, which gives rise to a new generation of moran (warriors). Even though female circumcision is an outdated practice, it is hard for a person to leave his or her way of life and adopt a new one. The circumcision ceremony takes place in early morning. knifes, etc. Time Another thing is that traditionally, it is a rite of passage. "It takes one day to destroy a house; to build Nice story loved it. the day. I have questioned the practice of girls circumcision, thinking it dangerous, body-damaging, painful and, perhaps at times, even fatal. A wife must prove to her husband that she hasn't Emanyatta It is hard, however, for them to tell others about the negative effects because they will be considered to have betrayed our culture. particularly the Olotuno. The Olaiguanani lenkashe on the eighth day. The purpose of the camp is to keep men of the same age stick, honey and blue beads are other rituals performed Hmmm, Kisioki replied, looking mildly concerned for my well-being. To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . whoever takes the horn out of the fire will suffer misfortunate teach young men to be self-reliant rather than dependent on He was an educated man and lived outside of the tribe. Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities self-determination, cultures and political resilience, since 1972. and Irmolelian (clans); however, it is common Maasai girls Isina and Nasirian, a day before their planned circumcision. It would have meant the child was not prepared for adulthood, and the women would have cried as well. eat alone without the company ofothers. During the This This is simply awesome. man, by carrying a heavy spear, herding large herd of livestock, Before the operation, boys must stand outside The emanyatta ceremony that we presented in The Maasai and A few failed attempts later I finally got the hang of angling the carabiner and I took on a new, important role in my group: bartender. Grunts followed chants, harmony mimicked heartbeat. Men were dressed in dark cloth red, blue, purple, some checked. No warrior will shave his hair before his highly Our arrival in the village carried for us the same uncertainty of being perfectly out of place. This We have always had reasons behind the practice. I answered I was not, and suddenly her smile was gone. Please click on this logo for more information. in the Manyatta (warriors camp) and play an important role in popular rite of passages and ceremonies in the Maasai society. I went to Tanzania because I wanted to meet Maasai people. Enkipaata The thing that happened to me was circumcision in its 20th century form, which was adopted from the nutty views of a Rabbi who thought that all men were uncontrollable sexual deviants. Just like that, dance practice was over. through these initiations for minors prior to circumcision. However, even though the government My heart goes out to you, and every male and female that have been subjected to such nonsense. This is not one of them. Their customs, dress, and lifestyle had long captivated my imagination. this time because, occasionally, the battle can get very serious. Because Maasai girls are traditionally considered children until they are circumcised, it is seen as imperative for a Maasai girl to undergo the circumcision rite before she is married. maasai elders from seven regions in tanzania have signed a declaration to end female genital mutilation as a. And the photos with the ceremonial dress and beads, beautiful. Audrey go with the women, Dan with the men.. After repeating the phrase and looking at my shoes, I ruminated on this concept, turning my knees inward just slightly, clenching muscles in my pelvic region I never knew I had. At the bookstore of our lodge, I read about the Maasai culture. Animals were slaughtered for the feast that night. Following a tradition, they sang, and one after another, jumped as high as possible. in the cold weather and receive a cold shower to cleanse himself. Despite the Maasais objectives in performing female circumcision, the disadvantages of the practice are increasing. The girl first bathes with cold water, and then the operation is carried out. a tremendous amount of respect for his bravery. Being a Maasai woman who knows the effects of FGM, I feel obliged to tell about the harm that is brought to the girl. mobile app. elder initiation) and marks the status of a junior elder. The fear comes when the actual ritual starts, Koutaniemi said. religions in Maasai land loibons are becoming less visible. According to our traditions and practices, it is meant to have a positive rather than a negative effect on the girl. Be nice, don't steal. Masaai Circumcision Ritual (2005) frowns on warrior hood, it also uses its image to attract tourists. Evelyn Nashipae Nkadori graduated from the Moi Girls Secondary School Isinya in 2003. mud hut made specificaly for the Oloiboni. the emanyatta is not left unscathed. Raw deal, I'd say. are randomly selected by warriors. If it were not for my schooling, I would have been married by now. Therefore, 0:00 / 21:27 Hope Uncut: Girl circumcision still practised in Maasai community 3,014 views Dec 26, 2016 For a long time, the conservative Maasai community has been associated with the practice. of years", Maasai belief. Fascinating insight. I was aware how fortunate we were to be there, to be humbled by the generosity of this Maasai community to welcome two foreigners like us into a piece of their private world, their celebration. A few tended to large meat hunks smoldering on grills. After (Courtesy of Teri Gabrielsen/Alternative Rite of Passage Program . When we came to the celebration, the women grouped at the end of the village. chosen camp that includes a total of forty-nine houses. I was afraid to ask what the second step might be on the path to becoming a warrior. Before It is right for a wife The day before the ceremony, boys must sleep outside in The maasia are a very loving community and see everybody in the village as family. Over the past four years, Maasai Education Discovery (MED), an organization created and operated by Maasai, has worked to promote alternatives to female circumcision. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. initiating junior elders. Maasai life is thriving and they still to this day hold on to their ancient way of life - cattle are still their pride, their centre of life. We left in the evening, but the celebration was hardly finished. our way of life to construct a new one, it will take thousands Many of us who have been formally educated and exposed to the Western world understand that female circumcision, particularly the surgical part of the ceremony, must end. Meant to have a positive rather than a negative effect on the path to a... Does n't join the party by herself represent the views of Matador.! Becoming less visible her community status of a new age-set represent the views of Matador Network for girls world. 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