Rituals and Ceremonies: Stepping into Adulthood

This is Cheptalam, a Tugen girl, dressed for circumcision

For most communities boys and, in some cases, girls were traditionally initiated into adulthood through circumcision or clitoridectomy, which marked their transition to full members of the community. This was, and in some cases still is, a momentous occasion, both socially and individually.

Seclusion and instruction

This Tiriki boy is wearing a mask known as Ingololi after circumcision. The mask is only worn by initiates during their six-month seclusion period. Through circumcision and the period of instruction that accompanied it, an individual became a full participant in society as a whole, beyond the scope of the village and their families.

The Importance of circumcision

In all but a handful of Kenyan societies (notably the Luo and the Turkana), male circumcision is widely practiced in Kenya. Boys yearn for circumcision in most communities, despite slightly dreading the pain. The shame that surrounds a boy who flinches or cries during the cutting will remain with him throughout his life: to flinch is a sign that he is not as manly as his age mates, and cannot be trusted with the defence or government of his people.

This is Limeto, an Ogiek girl adorned in ornaments immediately after circumcision

In contrast to male circumcision, female circumcision (also called 'female genital mutilation', or FGM) has attracted furious criticism and opposition over the last century and a half, not only from missionaries, the church and latterly Kenyan women's groups, but also from people all over the world. Today female circumcision is illegal in Kenya, and communities are encouraged to adopt alternative initiation practices.