Kikevo 2023; Preparations for Varogōri Circumcision

Image: Elders drawn from North and South Maragoli gathering at Mbale Municipal Grounds [yesterday 20/06/2023] to deliberate on the modalities for the upcoming Murogōri 2023 Circumcision.

The 2023 Murogōri Initiation practice will be marked in a month and a few days' time. The Maragoli Council of Elders is doing all it can in this preparation period to ensure the following happens;.

• All Maragoli households prepare accordingly for the upcoming cultural activity

This prepares parents, guardians and stakeholders for the coming initiation festivities. Why the month of August as it traditionally follows the main harvest in the year, there being enough food and environmental serenity from the reduced long rains. Stakeholders like the educational sector are able to make allowances on the learning calendar to give room for cultural practice and others as the church to disseminate information while the administrative units take up the coordination in prevention of unwanted occurrences.

• Ensure all initiates have been traditionally circumcised

The increasing neglect for traditional way of life needs to be countered with accommodative practices. The hygiene and sanitary procedures are prepared for to avoid fluid contact as well as failed procedures. As this happens in the plain sight of elder boys and elders, the boy is celebrated as initiated into the ways of the community unlike the solitary hospital. Whereas the new initiate comes from such a family that has in the past abhorred traditional practices, the elders are open to welcoming back the ‘strayed’ family, requesting giving out a gift of atonement. 

• Ensure initiates are taught and inducted to the Murogōri way of life

By following the guidelines as set by the cultural council of elders, the learning process kicks off. This includes when a year is [not] declared and the prevailing circumstances. It includes day when a sounding to start of psyche activities as song and dance, followed by an announced day of cut. On the day, when the sons are taken together to the initiation sites and later hosted at a chosen village area or in respective groups, there are organized sessions of visiting, check-ups, knowledge sharing and such beneficial details. In all these, there are the don’ts as disallowing women to take the son to the circumciser or taking front-line nursing role. If any of these happen before elders have commissioned there are consequences such which would cause community disorder – a source of cultural learning.

• Circumcisors are identified and assessed for suitability in the practice

It has in the past happened that rowdy circumcisers, sometimes under influence of drugs and cultural mayhem and fright, took advantage of the process and committed irresponsible acts. Some even over-stepped their geographical locations, coming from non-Rogoori communities. Whereas in the past circumcisers used to be outsourced to assist, for accountability, the council is checking from within the community to know its experts and who may be outsourced. Qualities of circumcisers include of good behavior, has no past misdoings, able to work under the council. They will be parochial for 2023, not allowed to intercross geographies as well as identified by a badge that whoever fails to deliver as expected will be held accountable as previously committed himself in writing.

• Such other modalities to have a dignified and successful initiation practice

Sideways, the council is beyond control of other things including children born outside marriage and living at maternal homes. Or such boys who have already been circumcised as those in Maragoli community living in Nandi (2022) but still waiting for the Maragoli in Vihiga to start and declare theirs to later give the initiates across board an age-set name. This is not forgetting the children who will be taken to hospitals for a surgery procedure instead of converging at the valley bottoms of the villages but would need to be included in the age-set marking. For such, the agreement is to accept them with guidelines as atoning for their divergence and preventing them to take lead; letting those who have ascribed to the laid procedures take lead in activities and processions.