It is that time of the year that the Bukusu will be at it again.
Every August of every even year, the Bukusu sub-tribe carries out its initiation of boys to men. But did you know that it is in the larger Luhya community in Kenya?
Bukusu is also arguably the third largest tribe after the Gikuyu and Luo with the tribe mostly found in Western Kenya especially in Bungoma County.
Bungoma County, interestingly, is known for breaking records and hitting the headlines for the absurd.
It is the county with the most expensive wheelbarrows which cost the taxpayer Sh100,000 each and also for the man known for hanging dangerously on a helicopter just for the thrill of it.
This August, which is an even one for that matter, will see Bukusu land excited as the tribe conducts its circumcision ceremony for the boys.
The ceremony is elaborate and most visitors find it crazy and uncivilised but it is an important cog for the community.
Allegedly, the Bukusu rite dates back to the days of the Bukusu Father known as Mango.
It is said that a long time ago, a huge snake used to kill many of the Bukusu people. The mysterious snake allegedly only used to strike people on the heads. One day, as the folklore goes, the snake killed Mango’s son after which he armed himself with embalu, a knife, and killed the snake.
He then became a hero and his foreskin had to be removed to signify his newly acquired status. And that is how circumcision started among the Bukusu.
The ceremony and its activities are however reducing and only a few are undertaking the traditional cut these days. Most of the community members opt to take their sons to the hospital due to the increased chances of contracting HIV from the tools used by the circumcisers.
The elaborate rite is only undertaken by boys who feel they are strong enough to face embalu after informing the father who then consults with his peers over a pot of busaa.
Once a consensus is reached, preparations are set in motion and a bull to be slaughtered is selected, relatives and friends are then invited.
An uncle, who is the last person to be invited, then slaughters a bull and when the nephew comes calling, he takes luliki which is a piece of meat and puts it on his nephew’s neck. The rest of the meat is carried is bags to be eaten during the ceremony.
Accepting the uncle’s meat means the boy cannot escape the knife and even if he dies, he must be circumcised.
Then comes the traditional surgeon, a circumciser, who uses no anaesthesia as a measure of the initiate’s bravery.
The night before the cut is one of debauchery where beer is in plenty. All people are who come dance, sing, drink, have sex and engage in all manner of what would be depravity to many outsiders. This is called khuminya.
At four in the morning, the boy is taken to the river and smeared with some soil. He is then told some words by his uncle and slapped in the face before sioyayo, a special song, is sung. The boy is then made to walk totally naked from the river to the homestead where the traditional surgeon will be waiting to work on him.
From then, the boy becomes a man…