Female Genital Mutilation practices in Kenya: - Feed the Minds

Upholding cultural tradition: the research
also found that the Kuria community believes
that female circumcision is part of their cultural
heritage; as a result, efforts to discourage the
practice were perceived as diluting or “killing” the
Kuria culture. This concern was raised in an FGD
with the Council of Elders; they wondered why the
government and other players were attempting
to eradicate female circumcision, an integral part
of the Kuria culture. Even younger members of
the community considered FGM as important in
the Kuria culture, and concerns about negative
medical and social effects of the practice were not
seen as critical:
[Circumcision] identifies you as a true
Kuria, so you get license to participate in the
community fully. One cannot run for an elective
position in this community if they are not
circumcised or are married to an uncircumcised
woman” (participant, FGD, young men).
Social pressure: The research findings show
that the Kuria community has strong sanctions to
discourage women’s refusal to be circumcised.
Fear of ridicule and social stigma, as well as
name-calling, stopped many families from
abandoning the practice. The FGDs revealed the
following sanctions held by the community
around FGM:
•• An uncircumcised woman cannot pick
vegetables from her neighbour’s garden
because if she does, the vegetables in the
neighbour’s garden will dry up and die;
•• She cannot draw water from the
communal water source because the
water will be contaminated and the well
would dry up;
•• She is not allowed to open the gate to the
livestock enclosure;
•• She is not allowed to cook and serve
elders or her husband’s peers if they
come visiting.
There were also myths and misconceptions
expressed widely expressed in the
interviews, including:
•• If an uncircumcised woman urinates
somewhere, any children walking over
that spot would die;
•• If a baby boy’s body came into contact
with the clitoris as the uncircumcised
woman gave birth, he would die.
how FGm is conducted
AmonG the kuriA
Communal and public event: Female
circumcision among the Kuria is traditionally
a communal and public event, held with much
celebration during a specified period pronounced
by the community elders, during which male
circumcision also takes place. Indeed, when
the Kuria talk of a circumcision ceremony, they
are referring to both the male and female rites.
The circumcision period has traditionally been
observed in December each year, at harvest time
when the community has plenty of food necessary
for the public celebration.
Timing of FGM: Each clan organizes its
own circumcision ceremony at a date specified
by the Council of Elders, in consideration of the
community values. For instance, according to
informants, because the Kuria people believe
that the number 7 portends bad luck, in the year
2007, the Council decreed that there would be no
circumcision ceremony, and as a result, no boy or
girl was circumcised in that year.
The cutting ceremonies are colourful events,
marked with public dancing, drinking and feasting.
The circumcision ceremony is held in an open
field with the elders present. Some research
participants observed that during the ceremonies,
the songs contain messages that seem to
encourage the initiates (both girls and boy) to
have sex. The initiates no longer go into seclusion
as was the case in the past, although individual
families do organise for the girl initiates to receive
coaching from female relatives.
Age at circumcision: Participants in this
research reported that girls are circumcised at a
much lower age than previously. In the past, girls
ee
17.