Are Rites of Passage Out of Step? A Kenyan Christian Perspective
By Muhia Karianjahi“A South Africa teenager dies of malnutrition during initiation rituals in the Eastern Cape province.”
“Kenyan villagers shocked by the death of a girl who bled to death after trying to perform female genital mutilation on herself.”
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These were headlines to stories posted on BBC’s online news in August 2006. One story was followed by an opportunity for readers to post comments in response to the question, “Do you think being initiated is worth the risk if the rituals are dangerous?” Another headline read, “Are rites of passage out of step?”
“Rites of Passage” at a Glance
Circumcision is still widely practiced in Africa, usually as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. In western Kenya, circumcision season takes place in August every even-numbered year (i.e., 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008). “Rites of passage,” a term first used by French ethnographer Arnold Van Gennep,1 are rituals or events marking the stages of a person’s advance through life. They are vehicles of transition that act as reference points for the person and the community.
Transitions always take place as a person journeys from one life stage to another. Some transitions are more significant to one’s identity than others, especially that of initiation from childhood into adulthood. Circumcision is seen in many communities as the physical or tangible sign of this transition, and thus is highly valued. Theologian John Githiga says of his Kikuyu people in Kenya: “Circumcision, being a community rite par excellence, is the focal point of the Gikuyu rituals, myths, and symbols. It ritualizes, symbolizes, and externalizes both the inner world and the outer worlds of this people.”2
Often, one is considered a child until he or she goes through the “cut” (as it is often referred to); if this condition continues beyond a certain age, it is the cause of much shame to the individual and his or her family. Circumcision is not a private affair. As communal beings, the instruction, enculturation, and affirmation that one gets from his or her community is highly life-impacting. “What happened to a single youth,” continues Githiga, “happened corporately to the parents, relatives, neighbors, the living dead, and those yet to be born.”3
The girl who died in Kenya after attempting to circumcise herself is reported to have done so due to teasing by her peers. I too can remember having to hide while going to the bathroom as I did not want my classmates in boarding school to know I was still uncut at the age of thirteen. After I had the operation, I felt I belonged and had nothing to hide.
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Muhia Karianjahi is a founder of Tanari, which assists local churches and institutions to become strong and relevant communities by providing creative programs, materials, training, and consultations. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in education. He and his wife live in Nairobi with their two sons. |
