By Wanambwa M. Rogers
#WinterABC2020
Considering the fact that I wrote about my maternal side’s proverbs the other day, it is only befitting that I go paternal today.
280km from where I have grown up and where I am writing from now, is Mbale district my ancestral home which unfortunately, I have only been a few times in my life. But that’s not the discussion for today.
Today, I am going to talk about something that is so exciting for whoever comes across its procession. That all the males of this tribe have to go through to prove their manhood, something I too went through a decade ago.
Earlier than the recommended age(and gloriously which made me sit at the elders’ table before 18years of age).
The Imbalu procession
I will first put a disclaimer that this norm is not unique to the Bamasaba(by that is my middle name, the M you always see) and if you read ‘African Child’, you will see that even in West Africa, it is there. After all, the Bantu tribes in Eastern and Southern Africa, have an origin from Cameroon in West Africa. We are all brothers and sisters.
The Imbalu is a procession that always happens once every two years, meaning this year, it was supposed to happen. In the Bamasaba and I must add Bakusu(another tribe in the East), in order for one to be considered a man, they have to go through this procession. It is basically the removal of the foreskin on the man’s organ.
I must add another disclaimer that there’s no female genital mutilation in these tribes. Imbalu(which is literally male circumcision) only happens to men.
The procession
Traditionally, imbalu happens in August and the men(boys really) are expected to stand firm and not twitch through the whole process. This shows courage and boldness. It happens before 10am or is normally the case.
Although the procession is a must, a boy is expected to ‘voluntarily’ go to his relatives and proclaim his need to go through it.
Now comes the fun part. Kadodi
Kadodi is a dance of the Bagisu and it has been made so famous because of its affiliation with imbalu. It has an alluring beat that brings scores of people into it as the boys are taken around.
Cultural songs are sang, local brew, malwa, which is made from millet, is in supply and everyone wears plantain leaves onto of their clothes as they go dancing around.
Ash or flour is put onto the faces of the boys to be circumcised and this adds to the dramatic flare of the whole procession.
Ikinyi, a local herb is given to the boys to decrease the pain of the process when it comes. But anyway, by the time they get to it, the sheer exhaustion from the running around, for quite a number of kilometers too and fro, it is hard to feel said pain.
Candidates of circumcision/imbalu seek the approval and connection of their relatives and friends who are expected to escorts them through the procession. It is laborious to say the least and hence some cheerleading is always welcome.
On the D-day, the candidates parade in a prepared ground, naked and experts in the circumcision process do the removing of foreskin. The candidates who already have their hands raised, show off their bloodied member for the crowd to see and they all ululate them.
Crying during the process would mean cowardice, thus, is forbidden!
A whistle is blown to mark the end of the ritual and the boy, now a man, is taken to a quiet place, where the wound is dressed, then he is taken to his father’s house.
There, he is hand fed for three days and after, a ritual bath is provided for him. After this, the ritual is finally over.
In other African areas, circumcision is a private affair but in the Bagisu, it was made a public celebration and so everyone is allowed to come watch. This also is where people are expected to give the candidates gifts.
That’s why the candidates(the boys to be circumcised) garner relatives and friends to come. These are expected to bring the boy gifts at home after the procession.
Footnote:
1. Circumcision has become a health and religious aspect nowadays and in Uganda, Safe Male Circumcision is done in hospitals for every male that wants to. Sometimes, is even recommended. It is considered that circumcision reduces the risk of getting HIV/AIDs by 60% but still that doesn’t mean one cannot get HIV because they’re circumcised.
2. Muslims circumcise their male babies when they are still young too.
3. In the Jewish culture, male babies are circumcised on the eighth day after their birth.
4. Although the writer is a Mugisu, he was circumcised privately because he took himself to the procession before the right age. It was an honor given to him because of his boldness by the elders. Also, I think it was because I went with my Rwandese mother and her vivacious Rwandese relative who refused to let me be paraded, haha.
Wanam World 