This is a very middle-class male view of the matter. Actually churches started doing this in response to a highly classed and highly gendered problem. Circumcision is ridiculously expensive socially and financially.https://twitter.com/MediaMK/status/1060538252942327808 …
-
-
There are also cultural taboos against your mother offering it to you herself. The n you would get sons who went as far up as 18 without having been circumcised. Because if the mother does it he is an even more of an outcast and he cannot do it for himself.
Show this thread -
There was actually a lot of debate when the church started doing it because the church of christ is gendered female. The church is a woman. There is a reason it isn't done by the church but rather "a camp owned by the church." Basically the church is "providing a father."
Show this thread -
then comes the money bit. If you take care of your son you don't just tupa him in a bedroom. The strict rite requires that you seclude him and hire folks to take care of him usually about 2-3 other young men who are paid and provided with in full room and board for this service.
Show this thread -
You must also get someone with some medical expertise to come check up on him because once he is secluded he must stay so till he is "brought out into male society." you must facilitate all travel expenses and consultation fees for this check up
Show this thread -
also while he is in seclusion in your compound, you will constantly receive guests to "walk with you" through this trying time (do not ask me) you will entertain these guests. When he is brought out you must throw a feast. You will be judged on your generosity.
Show this thread -
In the other approach the church provides visitors with chai na aandazi and a rice and stew and chapoz feast at the end of it all. Then because of the psychological terrain the church occupies in Kenyans mind there is no stigma to not having been circumcised "kwenu."
Show this thread -
the other advantage of the church doing it is that cultural practices that were subtly or explicitly sexual abuse were abolished. Subtly speaking I think some of those things that are supposed to happen to the sons in seclusion are sexual abuse
Show this thread -
Then other notions were just ground for sexual abuse: In Meru for example on the day "the men" came out the women were supposed to stay off the roads, if they came across a woman on that day they had "right of way" i.e gang rape
Show this thread -
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.