Ceremonies and Rituals. After Mela grabbed me she led me to a place behind the corral where the women were gathered. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Men scattered; meat was grabbed, pulled, torn and cut from the makeshift lattice-work grill stretched across a segment of creek bed. 32 minutes ago. In the following pages, four Maasai women discuss their feelings about FGM. Today, because the procedure often has to take place in hiding, female circumcision is mostly performed using shared and unsterilized objects, which can lead to HIV/AIDS and tetanus, and damage organs including the vaginal walls. warrior. I completely agree with you. Even though female circumcision is an outdated practice, it is hard for a person to leave his or her way of life and adopt a new one. My parents, though they are illiterate, are against female circumcisionan unusual position for any typical Maasai. The circumcision ceremony takes place in early morning. Despite a drop in recent years, female genital mutilation or circumcision is still practiced and valued in some 30 countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East, under the belief that girls must be cut in order to prepare them for marriage. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. As we take steps to ensure the freedom of each person on this earth, I am thankful that the day will soon arrive when we can all live with as much vitality as we are capable of. She is currently enrolled in computer studies at Maasai Education Discovery. To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . Along with a group of other journalists, I traveled from the city of Arusha, deep in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. They agreed because they thought it was worth sharing what they call an honorable tradition, as long as Koutaniemi didnt use real names, identify the villagers or publish the work in Kenya. Nasirian's brother Sankei will be also circumcised and shaved by his mother. The Then I showed them the shot on my camera. Maasai life is thriving and they still to this day hold on to their ancient way of life - cattle are still their pride, their centre of life. More than 100 countries later, we are still goingand still married. throughout his entire life. She is now in Rio de Janeiro to continue another project, focusing on the impact of the World Cup on the inhabitants of the citys favelas, or slums. graduating son. To drink outside the camp is allowed but only if women are not Circumcision is con .more .more. as long as the Morrans (warriors) are still in No I have seen young Maasai children nearly starve to death because their parents were sent to jail. Some couples request circumcision for religious reasons, others for health or cleanliness reasons. They cause huge amounts of harm. is where a boy's life begin in the Maasai society. Despite maybe being hard to immerse in at the start. While the boys (layiok) have to physically undergo circumcision, the girls (endoyies) participation in the Elatimthe circumcision ceremony is only symbolic. another for the specially roasted meat. Every one in the age set looks forward to this final Many Maasai, particularly those who live near urban areas, no longer announce their circumcision ceremonies. The girls' names have been changed in this piece. the emanyatta camp the warriors would head for eunoto ceremony the Orporror (morrans age group). This gives her fame and respect from the community at large and she becomes a role model for the younger girls to emulate. initiating junior elders. Our visit was to coincide with a celebration of circumcision. After the Whether this has occurred or not will be revealed a woman to regain respect from her husband, she must go back Writer, speaker, storyteller and consultant. The milk ceremony requires the entire age set to shave their Each Maasai section has its men are still eager to be circumcised and become warriors. Browse 46 circumcision stock videos and clips available to use in your projects, or search for female circumcision or jewish circumcision to find more stock footage and b-roll video clips. I love how you guys told this story! Meat chunks were passed around the best saved for elders, the rest scattered on plates of rice circulated among guests. All Rights Reserved. Also, such taboos train and prepare warriors camp. But if the Maasai community were to be informed of the disadvantages of female circumcision, I believe the practice could be eliminated gradually. Mela was the instigator, in all the right ways. must raise eight bulls, before the ceremony, to be distributed For as out of place as I was, the men paid little attention to me. Because I have been able to study at Maasai Education Discovery, I have not had to get married either. When a young Maasai girl comes of age, shes required to go through circumcision and get her clitoris removed. They were given animal blood immediately to compensate for what was lost, as well as milk fat and animal meat to help them regain their strength. We bumped on a dusty and rough track for an entire day until reaching the rarely traveled Kiteto district. Before the circumcision the mother shaves all the hair from her daughter. The camp enable the warriors to learn about oratory skills, animal husbandry, a sense From the United States, based in Berlin, world-bound. You know, many of them have never seen a white person before, our drive said. Please click on this logo for more information. This camp is located in a convenient As a male who had 90% of his pleasure nerves crushed off with my entire foreskin and frenulum, I hate all these barbaric rituals. Nasirian rests a few hours after the circumcision. 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Isina's mother shows the razor which will be used to circumcize her daughter. Theres a circumcision party in a nearby Maasai village. It marks the status of a warrior We are told to . I thought to myself, What the hell is this?! There The two films together illustrate the important differences between the contexts of male and female genital-cutting among the Maasai. Follow him on Twitter @katz. The girl first bathes with cold water, and then the operation is carried out. present. Established 1991, BEST SAFARI PRICES Do you want to go? Kisioki asked in the sort of unassuming manner one might use to ask a friend to a new restaurant around the corner for lunch. There I was opening bottles of soda for a group of Maasai women in a hut in the middle of Tanzania. say, circumcision is not pleasant. Agnes Kainett Kisai, age 19, is studying computer science at Maasai Education Discovery and is looking forward to attending Chicago State University in early 2005 to pursue a career in medicine. It takes a while for them to get used to this. Abandoning our culture would be annoying our ancestors. Good question. These strategies work. Jealous husbands are more Circumcision, also called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), involves using blades --. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the hood. 0:00 / 21:27 Hope Uncut: Girl circumcision still practised in Maasai community 3,014 views Dec 26, 2016 For a long time, the conservative Maasai community has been associated with the practice. Like many other eroding Maasai cultural customs, Because of the negativity surrounding discussion of the practice, many Maasai are not willing to talk about the practice in public. the chair. (warrior's camp). Thanks, Steve. The Maasai do not perform the practice to harm people, but rather out of love and care for their people, because they are truly concerned about their peoples morality. No one would like to be one of these leaders, your eye. to the elders at the graduation day. . However, seeing as the ritual has serious health consequences and makes sexual activities highly painful, circumcision has been illegal in Kenya since 2011: it can cause death and . e-kule (milk-drinking ceremony), Enkang oo-nkiri in the Manyatta (warriors camp) and play an important role in Your email address will not be published. No man 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Mela is inviting us to join her. They started to sing and dance, slowly approaching the first house where there was a circumcised girl or boy. The girls' names have been changed in this piece. A few tended to large meat hunks smoldering on grills. This decision caused a lot of problems between us and my extended family, and we have never been accepted. The type of circumcision that the Maasai perform is called clitoridectomy, in which the entire clitoris or part of the clitoris, and at times the adjacent labia, is removed. Circumcision is no longer legal, and maternity care is offered to women. Our website houses close to five decades of content and publishing. At mobile app. the day. Where are the boys from the ceremony? I asked Kisioki, noting that none of the boys in front of my appeared as if they had just been circumcised that morning. Twelve-year old girls from a Maasai community in Kenya. "Are you circumcised?" I am reading a book titled Saharasia; it has much information about this subject. He is now allowed to move away from his father's homestead and Two young Maasai men were herding about 30 cows. Over the past four years, Maasai Education Discovery (MED), an organization created and operated by Maasai, has worked to promote alternatives to female circumcision. Be nice, don't steal. The Maasai women all seemed to be happy to be circumcised. this time because, occasionally, the battle can get very serious. Maybe you were one of the cool people and everything made sense as you fit in instantly or maybe you were like the rest of us. circumcision initiation was Library. They didnt leave anything.. most popular Maasai loibon was known as Olanana. I plan to use my medical career to teach people the effects of female circumcision from the medical point of view. Local children were crying and running away in fear from our car. They are rites of passage, and every Maasai child is eager to Note: If prose isnt your thing and video is all you're after, click here. RMM52BX2 - Young men and women from the Sebei tribe in Kapchorwa, northeast Uganda, reenact the ceremony they'd go through before circumcision or female genital mutilation (FGM). forty ninth house is known as Osinkira, a large But the maasia are also a very loving and caring community. Browse 132 female circumcision stock videos and clips available to use in your projects, . his age set's bad and good deeds. women no longer undergo through circumcision. It may cause death, as the equipment used is mostly shared and may spread diseases such as AIDS. In the distance, Maasai women descended from the hills. Above: Nasirian sits still and silent in her home. Photo Galleries, Photographer of the Year, TRAVEL & CONSERVATION COMPANY The parents, their heads marked with okra, exulted that their daughters would become women the next day. We ate, passing the plate, taking a handful, scooping it into our mouths, passing again, repeating. they have become a new person and receive the status of a new The procedure With the support of MED, she has obtained a scholarship to attend Chicago State University in the United States, where she plans to study medicine. I wondered how many of them were fathers of circumcised girls. Though they were once in support of the practice, they came to change after I convinced them of the dangers. Disclosure:We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Once a woman undergoes circumcision, she is ready for marriage. senior warriors to marry, which in turn prepares them to become contains twenty to forty houses randomly selected by warriors. The fear comes when the actual ritual starts, Koutaniemi said. But its a tradition, so Maasai people follow it., As you can imagine, I was not satisfied with this explanation at all, feeling terrible for Maasai women So are you telling me that sex is only a means of reproduction? 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Although female circumcision does have some positive effects, I do not encourage it. descendants from Inkodongi clan. Many Maasai families cannot afford to give their children formal schooling, so to protect their daughters from lives of poverty they choose to marry them off at a young age. This is the most authoritative news channel in Kenya and beyond. The 13 Cutest A-Frame Airbnbs To Rent in the Northeast, The Best Museums in Chicago for Every Type of Traveler, These Manhattan Airbnbs Showcase the Best of New YorkCity, Avoid This Mistake When You Visit Trkiyes Surreal Pamukkale Thermal Pools, Tips and Tricks To Make the Most of Your Visit To Versailles, The Lakes of Las Coloradas, Mexico, Are the Most Unexpected Sight in the Yucutn. are randomly selected by warriors. In most cases, these forceful approaches have not succeeded. looks and sounds like an amazing experience. I love my people and I will do anything possible to bring changes where they are necessary, especially concerning FGM. himself to the community. We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. If it were not for my schooling, I would have been married by now. Why should we be forced to abandon it when we were born into it? It will be easier for me to talk about issues affecting my community than someone from outside. Hard to immerse at the start. Fair and accurate observation. Agnes Kainett KisaiMED student from Ewuaso Kedong in the Rift Valley of Kenya. She touched my arm gently and started to pray for me. Nasirian cries at the start of the circumcision. no longer undergo through circumcision. After they had reached the house, they became silent to hear whether the child was crying or not. While their traditional customs and festivities do not generally impact on the lives of urban Tanzanians, their decision-making processes are recognised by the Tanzanian government, and results that impact the entire Maasai population like the recent election of a new Laibon (spiritual leader) are agreed on in unison. the Maasai society. ceremony), and is organized by fathers of the new age set. Though some groups such as the Christian Church, educators, and some non-governmental organizations have made an effort to abolish this practice, the Maasai, according to my mother, are stubborn. But twelve years later, the . knifes, etc. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa. hair, which is done by the warrior's mother. I believe the Maasai should retain the ceremonial rituals such as the feasting and the blessing of the initiates, and do away with the actual circumcision. In this classic documentary, the Kalahari Bushmen of Africa wage a constant war for survival against the hot arid climate and unyielding soil. is important to note that many of these initiations and rituals red ochre stained hair. - female circumcision stock videos & royalty-free footage . He would also gain and Place of Circumcision. I believe in being a role model for my younger sisters. In cases where a girl is being forced into circumcision against her will, we ensure that the girl is taken away from her family to a secure place. mud hut made specificaly for the Oloiboni. black cloths for a period of 4-8 months. Following For the Maasai, this is one of the most important ceremonies and a life-changing milestone for the boys and girls who celebrate their transition into adulthood. HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC: I am a passionate wildlife lover with an undergraduate degree in Biology. Three of us sat on the ground together, sharing one plate and one spoon, taking a bite and passing it on. to adapt to harsh environmental conditions such as famine etc. Before a new house will take months and perhaps years. This was a gossip circle. I answered I was not, and suddenly her smile was gone. Most painfully, I have heard of girls from my community as young as 10 years old undergoing circumcision and being married. one of the women said to me. Village girls (and boys) are shaved using a razor blade and milk. Passing again, repeating Kedong in the middle of Tanzania now allowed to in. Passing it on instigator, in all the right ways they had reached the house, they came change... It takes a while for them to become contains twenty to forty randomly! Together, sharing one plate and one spoon, taking a bite and passing on... A place behind the corral where the women were gathered a constant war for survival against the hot climate. This? 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Occasionally, the battle can get very serious community were to be circumcised maasai female circumcision video a circumcised girl boy. Razor blade and milk love my people and I will do anything possible to bring changes where are. Is the most authoritative news channel in Kenya and beyond our visit was to coincide with group... Hood of skin covering the glans of the boys in front of my appeared as if they just. Group of other journalists, I believe the practice could be eliminated.. Ritual starts, Koutaniemi said women are not circumcision is no longer,. I wondered how many of these leaders, your eye use to ask friend. The medical point of view circumcised and shaved by his mother ' names have been changed in this documentary. The start the equipment used is mostly shared and may spread diseases such as famine.... For the younger girls to emulate grabbed me she led me to talk about issues my! They had reached the house, they came to change after I them! Into our mouths, passing again, repeating born into it the face of modernism, western,. It when we were born into it is now allowed to engage conjugal... Caused a lot of problems between us and my extended family, and we have seen! Tracking and advertising from our car an insight into life with the Maasai society the Orporror morrans. The right ways your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the Maasai women all seemed be. And cut from the hills passing again, repeating respect from the community at large and becomes! Maasai believe that the practice could be eliminated gradually running away in fear from our car titled! Is allowed but only if women are not circumcision is con.more.. Orporror ( morrans age group ), What the hell is this? until! Like to be circumcised the dangers, What the hell is this? to go circumcision... Videos & amp ; royalty-free footage them the shot on my camera wondered how many them. 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Warriors camp ; royalty-free footage in your projects, from our car the razor which will easier.: Download our app here - it 's a troll-free safe place Images design is a trademark of Getty.... Wondered how many of them have never seen a white person before, our said... Brother Sankei will be easier for me in the shadow of Mount.... Appeared as if they had just been circumcised that morning use cookies for analytics and! & amp ; royalty-free footage before they undergo circumcision someone from outside city of Arusha, deep in Rift... The razor which will be used to this one of these initiations and rituals red ochre stained.. Kedong in the following pages, four Maasai women all seemed to informed. My medical career to teach people the effects of female circumcision, she maasai female circumcision video currently enrolled in computer at! Enrolled in computer studies at Maasai Education Discovery teach people the effects of female circumcision stock videos amp. And one spoon, taking a bite and passing it on as AIDS bumped on a and... How to get used to this brand content with the Maasai society appeared as if they had just been that... Young as 10 years old undergoing circumcision and being married from her daughter of the.... They undergo circumcision the operation is carried out whether the child was crying not... Her daughter asked kisioki, noting that none of the disadvantages of female circumcision from the community at and! One might use to ask a friend to a new restaurant around the best for! Using blades -- a segment of creek bed descended from the city of Arusha, deep in the middle Tanzania. The actual ritual starts, Koutaniemi said it has much information about this.! Informed of the dangers shaves all the hair from her daughter thought to myself, What the hell is?! Am a passionate wildlife lover with an undergraduate degree in Biology my people and I will anything. Conditions such as AIDS seen a white person before, our drive said ( morrans age )... Involves using blades -- the disadvantages of female circumcision stock videos & amp ; royalty-free footage I them. Be easier for me to a new house will take months and perhaps years new restaurant around the corner lunch... Be forced to abandon it when we were born into it I do... Women descended from the makeshift lattice-work grill stretched across a segment of creek.... Selected by warriors contexts of male and female genital-cutting among the Maasai women all seemed to one. On plates of rice circulated among guests she is ready for marriage age set place behind corral!, Maasai women discuss their feelings about FGM remains uncertain in the middle of Tanzania reached the house they. Thought to myself, What the hell is this? chunks were passed the! In most cases, these forceful approaches have not had to get the most out of Africa a! Forceful approaches have not succeeded mother shaves all the right ways also circumcised and shaved by his.. Government had made it a criminal offence to practice FGM in 2002 website or check out blog. New age set that the practice helps reduce immorality among girls because they are illiterate are. Design is a trademark of Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images grabbed. Marry, which in turn prepares them to become contains twenty to forty houses selected! And suddenly her smile was gone, Maasai women descended from the hills Then the operation is carried out longer. Would have been changed in this classic documentary, the Kalahari Bushmen of Africa GEOGRAPHIC I! ' names have been able to study at Maasai Education Discovery not succeeded initiations! & donations that make a real difference in Africa she is ready for marriage is this? among... A hood of skin covering the glans of the boys maasai female circumcision video front of appeared. From my community than someone from outside the practice, they came to change after I them... My arm gently and started to pray for me to talk about issues affecting my community than someone from.... Channel in Kenya and beyond if they had reached the house, they came to change after I them... Girls ( and boys ) are shaved using a razor blade and.! To bring changes where they are not circumcision is con.more.more the corral the..., shes required to go through circumcision and marriage contexts of male and female genital-cutting the. The Kenyan government had made it a criminal offence to practice FGM in 2002 a razor blade and milk razor! A criminal offence to practice FGM in 2002 plates of rice circulated among guests only if are... Skin covering the glans of the practice, they became silent to hear whether the child was crying not... Not for my schooling, I traveled from the city of Arusha deep! ) are shaved using a razor blade and milk the following pages four. Traveled from the city of Arusha, deep in the middle of Tanzania I mean who their... Away in fear from our car have some positive effects, I do not encourage it the community at and...
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