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BY LUKE KAPCHANGA    DN/WEBUYE             OPINION        24/7/04
The Bukusu and Tachoni of Bungoma and Trans-Nzioa districts are in a festive mood as the month of August arrives.
This is the month of sikhebo or circumcision period and where everybody is involved in one way or the other.If there is any religious tenets carried forward from the Dini ya Msambwa teaching for its followers to adhere to then -simply its embalu-to under go circumcision.
If you are a visitor, then do not be suprised to find the pastor, teacher or aperson of any high standing in society mingling freely and listening keenly to a comon villager on issues of  initiation.
Sikhebo is a rite of passage for the youth to enter adulthood from childhood and is not merely the removal of the penis foreskin.
The occasion is so ecstatic and full opf of funfare that food and drinks flow freely and endlessly.
Literaly none is spared the hectic period and everybody gets involved in one way or the other either by condemnation of the practice or participating in its rich cultural values.
The event has stages through which the initiates  go to be regarded as men capable of fending for  their families and defend the community.
The first stage where by boys move arround villages coverring valleys to inform close relatives about the date of the actual circumcision is  significant for them to know maternal and paternal cousins.
The type of gifts they are given as they move arround also shows the attachment of the community to the boys parents and clan.
Singing and dancing which accompany the initiates is more about joy as they praise greate personalities in society, important events or scorn on individuals whose ways and behavours are not approved.
This is one way in which the community passes on its historical and social past to future generations.
The initiates develop a distinct difference of their maternal uncles and those of their respective clans depending on the roles played during the passage rites.
The slaughtering of  abull by the maternal uncles is to appreciate their sisters efforts in creating wealth to them in form of dowry paid.The second aspect is to welcome the nephew as their own blood.
Slaughterring of bulls is manifestation ofn a people who value wealth and are from a culturally rich ancestry and they do it to share with the community.
The large quantities and volumes of busaa is mostly to entertain visitors throughout the night of khuminya when the boys are not required to sleep as they under go the rite the following morning.
This is a period when women test their brothers and clan members to gauge the affection and value bestowed on them  by relating to  gifts their sons are given.
There are rules to observe and follow before th initiates are circumcised, like longdistance running and dancing half naked is to prepare and harden the body, which makes it near impossible for them to feel the pain as the mskin is removed.
Lukembe the knife used by bakhebi is  sacred made only by blacksmith of repute when the circumciser himself is present.It can not be used for any other purpose other than circumcising fullstop.
Lubiito is perfomed to initiates who were cirmucised by Lukembe and this is when they are presented with a code of conduct of the community and how to behave responsibly in society.
The fallacy being propagated that each boy one knife to curb the spread of AIDS among the initiates does not hold water for several reasons.
There is enough prove that rarely to blood of the boy come into contact with Lukembeas the special dust applied is quiet effective.
Tradition has it that. and can be supported by scientiffic research- children who are male under the age of 12 rarely engages in sex-therefore the initiates are unlikely to carry the virus.
Going to hospital to have the penis fore skin removed can not be equatedn as circumcision because here its a simple operation and this rules out modern or traditional circumcision.
Circumcision in its true sense is an elaborate chain of acitivities an events bonding together the past, present and future.
The advocates who are calling to have the boys taken to hospital for operations are mostly members of evangelistic churches and are using the campagn to be funded.
During the period those who posses the will to circumcise can never fall sick and are able to run for miles an d miles without getting tired.
There is no college to train circumcisers an dthat is a wonder of its own how they come about and at the same time not required to invest the fee payments recieved to continue in the profession and prosper.
This are guys who survive on meagre resources but dine as  lords when Sikhebo arrives as they call the shots.They carry with them blessings and curses for the initiates, they are an authority on such matters.
Considering those advocating for change in the practice one sees bankruptcy in cultural expresion and conmanship to get funding from donors to improve on their economic status.
The fact that all have their boys to be circumcised during the month of August is testimony enough that they are by practice followers of Dini ya Msambwa.
They hold the rite of passage in high esteem because the same proponents throw parties for the boys after taking them to hospitals, which is sharing the joy with the community.
There is this stupid urgement about failing to raise fees for the boys who have had bulls slaughtered during their circumcision.The boys who get circumcised are in primary schools between std  5-7, now where in hell is the noise about a parent not affording fees payment.
More so the size of calves slaughtered in the ceremonies can not by themselves be able to pay fees for the boys to complete secondary education.
This also brings about the blight of girls who drop out of school for lack of fees yet  there is never anything traditional to waste on resources in their honour and prestige.
The best thing the ant-traditionalist groups should focus on for now is how easily to make quick money from the Global fund to fight Hiv/Aids and tuberclosis.
Because circumcision has been cited as a good way to slow down the rapid spreading of  Hiv/Aids virus, let them get down to business and set up NGOs to popularise the practice among communities which do not circumcise.
Otherwise for the two communities they are getting geared for merry making  with lots of eating irrespective of time day or night unending flow of drinks but no attending funerals- it is taboo to mix funerals with circumcision ceremonies.