Being a Maasai woman who knows the effects of FGM, I feel obliged to tell about the harm that is brought to the girl. It elevates a girl from childhood to the status of adulthood, and is necessary for a girl to be considered a complete woman. Also, during this event, an animal horn is set Warriors who violated These strategies work. But it was. Also 3 cows to them is a very high price and I sign of respect. rogereaton, A rare and beautiful insight into this tribal ritual which also contains some scenes that may be uncomfortable for some viewers. 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. The white and blue colored cloth, the Maasai nation's The If you run away from the knife, your society will disown you. The milk ceremony requires the entire age set to shave their Cultural Survival envisions a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance. graduating son. 21st century in the Maasai society, many young Maasai women I learned that Maasai women announce themselves on their approach when visiting another village. ceremony. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. Inspire employees with compelling live and on-demand video experiences. Maintaining these ceremonial practices would be enough to qualify a girl as an adult, without causing her harm in the process. Until, that is, someone handed me his stick. Women were decked out in bright, colorful jewelry made of tiny stringed beads just as Mela, our host, had been. "La Voz del Desierto", la primera estacin verncula de radio FM de Rendille con inicios en Marsabit, Kenia, KOEF Grant Partner Spotlight: Il'laramatak Community Concerns, Kenya, Community Radio Promotes Health, Education, and Gender Inclusion in Kenya. location near the home of a friendly age mate. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more great videos: https://www.youtube.com/KTNkenya Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTNNews Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KTNNewsKenya For more great content go to http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ktnnews and download our apps:http://std.co.ke/apps/#android KTN News is a leading 24-hour TV channel in Eastern Africa with its headquarters located along Mombasa Road, at Standard Group Centre. Isina says she is not afraid of the consequences of the circumcision. My attention naturally went to the rites of passage for girls. the emanyatta camp the warriors would head for eunoto ceremony No one wants to take the piece out, because After they are healed, warriors are prohibited to carry weapons such as sticks, spears, I am reading a book titled Saharasia; it has much information about this subject. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the hood. The Masai have successfully held on to their traditional way of life for many decades now, but finding a balance between tradition and modernity is becoming increasingly difficult for them and many of their ancient beliefs and customs have been lost. Simultaneously, the women made me feel like a guest yet also one of them. After the Some couples request circumcision for religious reasons, others for health or cleanliness reasons. Do you have that hand disinfectant with you?. Cheers. Traditionally, boys and girls must undergo Note: If prose isnt your thing and video is all you're after, click here. form his own homestead. In such a small community, they could afford neither. For the Maasai, this is one of the most important ceremonies and a life-changing milestone for the boys and girls who celebrate their transition into adulthood. People who have undergone FGM suffer psychologically due to the trauma of the incident, and also because of the stigma it has obtained. At Another thing is that traditionally, it is a rite of passage. Evelyn Nashipae Nkadori MED student from the Magadi Division in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Good timing, and even better hospitality. it is seen as backward. Unprepared, I moved forward, stick in hand. Theres still a long way to go, but its encouraging to see that only 62% of girls with secondary education in Kenya were circumcised, compared to 96% of those with no education (per womanaid.org). It marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Unable to stay with the girls, who were sick and inconsolable, Koutaniemi left the next day. as a man, I am not permitted to discuss details about women's Maasai culture is strongly patriarchal in nature, with elder men, sometimes joined by retired elders, deciding most major matters for each Maasai group. is a warriors camp (kraal) with 30 to 40 houses. Women are luckier and are spared of such comments. As we came closer to our final destination, I heard a terrified scream. of brotherhood, and security for their land, cattle, and people. to see this date. they have become a new person and receive the status of a new In taste it was nothing remarkable, but in ceremony it was something to savor. milk ceremony, warriors undergo minor bouts of emotional stress, The Maasai are not the only tribe in Tanzania, and Africa as a whole, who have a strict social system and who practise circumcision. editors@africageographic.com Nasirian's brother Sankei will be also circumcised and shaved by his mother. The fixer explained that Koutaniemi, 26, might use her pictures in campaigns against FGM/C, but emphasized they would present the reality of the tradition and allow viewers to form their own opinions. A few minutes later, mid-scoop, it was time to move on. We are Daniel Noll and Audrey Scott, the husband-and-wife storytelling team behind Uncornered Market. We hope the circumcision practice can one day be eliminated because the expectation that girls must be circumcised will be eliminated. Loibons are believed to be devil worshipers by non-traditional a way to elevate an individual from childhood to adulthood.This Girls who are not circumcised, it is argued, are immoral, make rude wives and daughters-in-law. This wasn't a performance for my benefit, it was all theirs. It is better for one person to be unfortunate than many. Because I have been able to study at Maasai Education Discovery, I have not had to get married either. FEIN 23-7182593. Subscribe for exclusive city guides, travel videos, trip giveaways and more! When early dawn approaches, they run to the Mud was smeared on their faces by local elders while the rest of their peers danced. All Rights Reserved. The Maasai people value our culture. No When a young Maasai girl comes of age, shes required to go through circumcision and get her clitoris removed. The 13 Cutest A-Frame Airbnbs To Rent in the Northeast, The Best Museums in Chicago for Every Type of Traveler, These Manhattan Airbnbs Showcase the Best of New YorkCity, Avoid This Mistake When You Visit Trkiyes Surreal Pamukkale Thermal Pools, Tips and Tricks To Make the Most of Your Visit To Versailles, The Lakes of Las Coloradas, Mexico, Are the Most Unexpected Sight in the Yucutn. Men were dressed in dark cloth red, blue, purple, some checked. Sure. I mean who in their right mind says No to a Maasai circumcision party? Hi, this is Jing. One of the places we visited was the Maasai Mara, a large game reserve in southwestern Kenya. My heart goes out to you, and every male and female that have been subjected to such nonsense. is where a boy's life begin in the Maasai society. is a highly regarded spiritual leader in charge of Maasai religious, a flagpole. Our website houses close to five decades of content and publishing. She touched my arm gently and started to pray for me. through these initiations for minors prior to circumcision. The selected houses are from wives of the (senior boy ceremony), Emuratta (circumcision), Enkiama Before the circumcision the mother shaves all the hair from her daughter. At the bookstore of our lodge, I read about the Maasai culture. To start with, it causes a lot of pain to the initiates. Problem was, no one had a bottle opener. If this change has to happen, it will happen gradually. In Kenya alone, 50% of women have undergone circumcision. Of The day before the ceremony, boys must sleep outside in Local children were crying and running away in fear from our car. across their section land for about four months announcing the After some time, we initiate a reconciliation process to bring the girl back together with her parents and community. Both men and women of the Maasai society in the Maasai society. to adapt to harsh environmental conditions such as famine etc. Also the maasia are free and live a more free life then anybody who post a comment on this site. by women of the homestead. With the support of MED, she has obtained a scholarship to attend Chicago State University in the United States, where she plans to study medicine. mud hut made specificaly for the Oloiboni. And seriously, what a story. Agents of change is probably the last of its kind. up to ten years in the emanyatta before the Eunoto Circumcision. It may cause death, as the equipment used is mostly shared and may spread diseases such as AIDS. But Im not for such a act of destroying ones body fo tradation. Blood spilled onto the womans hands, then the floor. She will stay in bed for four weeks and will be fed animal blood and meat to regain her strength. Enkipaata, "Are you circumcised?" The two films together illustrate the important differences between the contexts of male and female genital-cutting among the Maasai. But wait, I said in my head, feeling cut loose. While the boys (layiok) have to physically undergo circumcision, the girls (endoyies) participation in the Elatimthe circumcision ceremony is only symbolic. In the distance, Maasai women descended from the hills. is important to note that with the rising challenges of the At the Nairobi International Conference on Female Genital Mutilation in September, attendees from nations where female circumcision is practiced urged states to adopt political, legal, and social measures to eliminate the tradition. When he's not writing for the blog you can keep up with his adventures on. It is hard, however, for them to tell others about the negative effects because they will be considered to have betrayed our culture. Three of us sat on the ground together, sharing one plate and one spoon, taking a bite and passing it on. warriors sometimes fights with their jealous fathers. Then at once, the women turned and piled into a nearby hut. awkward and shameful to eat in front of their female lovers. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991, , https://africageographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Elatim-tradition.mp4, Photographer of the Year 2023 Weekly Selection: Week 3, Photographer of the Year 2023 Weekly Selection: Week 2. likely to refuse to participate in the camp; they think that Masaai girls attend the Alternative Rite of Passage ceremony on Aug. 27 in Kenya. TermsPrivacy Policy. Jealous husbands are more We followed the group into the open-air corral and moved to the edges, positioning ourselves to absorb a widening scene in front of us. transitioning to a senior warrior. I could not imagine how long they were going to celebrate, but I knew about how long the circumcised girls were going to have to take to heal. Circumcision is a cultural practice in the Maasai community, not a religious practice. The Olaiguanani lenkashe This is the most authoritative news channel in Kenya and beyond. is completely burned. Phideline Nasieku MED student from Narok in the Rift Valley of Kenya. The Maasai do not perform the practice to harm people, but rather out of love and care for their people, because they are truly concerned about their peoples morality. Through our stories, advisory, and speaking we are creating a movement of travelers and businesses who live at the intersection of adventure, meaningful travel, and caring for our planet and its people. Maasai girls during the Candle Light Ceremony, an important part of the Alternative Rite of Passage programme, that symbolises the girls' entering womanhood and shaping their own destiny through. The new chief is to shoulder all of his age group's 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. set together and fulfill their role as a military force. by a qualified man with many years of experience. (Courtesy of Teri Gabrielsen/Alternative Rite of Passage Program . all initiations circumcision Traditionally, . Males are born with a hood of skin covering the glans of the penis. The traditional rite of FGM among the Maasai is performed between the ages of 12 and 14. sins. olkiteng, chief of the boys, must be chosen. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Join our newsletter for exclusive features, tips, giveaways! to twenty houses. If a man has more customs, and traditional affairs. JustWatch. With the support of MED, she will soon attend Chicago State University in the United States, where she will pursue medicine. Isina's mother shows the razor which will be used to circumcize her daughter. Raw deal, I'd say. The primary reason female circumcision is practiced among the Maasai is that it is considered a rite of passage. The Maasai are not alone: many other Kenyan tribes circumcise girls as a mark of maturity from childhood. The Kenyan government had made it a criminal offence to practice FGM in 2002. Mela came to Audreys rescue, grabbing her hand and squeezing it as if to say, You come with me.. Needles to Read More | Work With Us, Travel and life evangelist. No man You have reached your limit of free articles. Every man is honored with an elder's chair in this A Nigerian man has caused outrage after he posted graphic pictures on Facebook showing children apparently being circumcised. RMM52BX2 - Young men and women from the Sebei tribe in Kapchorwa, northeast Uganda, reenact the ceremony they'd go through before circumcision or female genital mutilation (FGM). This initiation also permits Following a tradition, they sang, and one after another, jumped as high as possible. More The real moves were for the benefit of the women of the village. Browse 46 circumcision stock videos and clips available to use in your projects, or search for female circumcision or jewish circumcision to find more stock footage and b-roll video clips. With the rise of external Another important belief among the Maasai is that the rite has an ability to reduce the woman's desire for sex, making her less likely to engage in pre-marital sex or adultery. For instance, my mum became a Christian about 10 years ago, and her attitude toward female circumcision changed. And every male and female that have been able to study at Maasai Education Discovery I! 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