Circumcision has been a fundamental aspect to Kalenjin culture from the past and the recent resurgence of religion has revolved it to just a mere rite of passage of boys to manhood contrary to the traditional purpose.
Christian’s circumcision is a simple religious process that entails fellowshipping of Christian believers in prayers while the boys assemble for biblical teachings on the relevance of circumcision to Christian society.
Boys paraded in the church with their parents and guardians then submitted to the appointed church elders to take through initiates during seclusion period, for the culture initiates, they are prepared by being mocked and encouraged to be hard as they are not expected to leniently behave while undergoing Kalenjin circumcision.
Pastor Eliud Yator, patron to the initiates in the North Rift region of the Pentecostal churches said that the initiates are just taken away from their parents where they will be taught on the pivotal aspects and role of men in the society and how they are supposed to behave like grown men.
“Our boys are trained on church principles expected to be parents in future and also responsibilities community bestowed to them as grown-ups, they later join their parents on a come-together party to welcome them to join fellow men in the church,“ narrated Yator.
For the cultural initiates, they are separated from the community and taken to the forest and in a hidden place where they will be trained and hardened to become men to endure challenges in the community as well as instilling courage, norms and believes that define the Kalenjin community.
“We have rules to be observed while undergoing the Kalenjin culture, women and uncircumcised boys are not allowed to step nor neither peep into the place rituals are performed,” Said Silas Talam, one of the conservative elders in Uasin Gishu.
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