Description of study participants
The findings are based on 30 Serial Interviews with fifteen (15) uncircumcised Pokot women as well as five (5) Key Informant Interviews with District officials. Ten (10) of the participants had attained primary education while five (5) secondary education. Nine (9) of the participants were married, four (4) not married while two (2) were still in school. Out of the 15 study participants, ten (10) were aged 18-25, three (3) aged 26-35 and two (2) aged 30 years and above. These are active age blackest for circumcision among the Pokot community. Negative psychosocial experiences were more pronounced among participants in the rural areas than their counterparts in the urban centers.
The experiences that emerged during data analysis are; difficulties in getting marriage partners, bullying by co-wives, rejection by elders and relatives, stigmatization of their children, exclusion from cultural ceremonies and rituals and denial to mix with circumcised women during community meetings. These have resulted into attempted suicide and murder, home desertions, Intimate partner violence and child abuse and drop outs as well as early marriages due to feelings of loneliness, rejection, shame, anger and stress. Two positive experiences also surfaced during data analysis; sexual enjoyment during sexual intercourse epitomized by ease of reaching orgasms and less complication while giving birth.
Knowledge about female circumcision
Before recounting their experiences, participants were asked to share their understanding of female circumcision and knowledge on the process for someone to undergo the practice. All the participants demonstrated greater understanding of female circumcision and the different seasons when the practice is conducted. The level of understanding of female circumcision across the participants was irrespective of the level of education, age, marital status or religion. Participants described female circumcision as the “cutting of the female private parts, especially the clitoris using a sharp knife or razor blade”. The participants further mentioned that female circumcision is performed during the months of March, April, August and September of every even year targeting girls between the age of 10-15 years with the intention of preparing them for marriage and transition to womanhood.
All the participants stated that a traditional dance “Naleyo Dance” is performed in the community to alert young girls about to undergo circumcision and relatives to prepare the local brew “kumi-ket” for elders during the circumcision. One of the key informants revealed that, on the day of circumcision, the girls are taken to the river to bath and their fathers smear them with black mud on the face as the cutter “Koko-Melkong” prepares the stones where the girls are circumcised. After circumcision, the girls are baptized “Chemeril” and they are isolated from the community until they heal. After healing, the girls are ushered to the nearby trading center while dancing to get gifts “Meseren” from people.
A group of participants mentioned that, the decision to undergo female circumcision is bestowed in parents and elders in the community. The parents decide when the girl is to undergo circumcision and is responsible for disciplining those that express fear during the circumcision process. However, another group expressed that the role of parents and elders have since dwindled with many young girls undergoing circumcision due to peer influence without informing their parents and elders in the community. One the participants revealed that, the decision not undergo circumcision is not absolute due to persistent stigmatization and discrimination in the community. Rebecca recalled, I one time felt like going for circumcision when I was still young because of the persistent insults from my stepmother telling me that I must cut the long and stinking thing between my legs.
Refusal to give names to their children by husbands and relatives
Married participants mentioned that their husbands with support of relatives after discovering that they are not circumcised refused to give names to their children claiming that the children are a “bad omen” to the family since they are born out of uncircumcised women. The participants expressed anger over humorous names like “magangandet” literally meaning outcast given to their children to depict them as a curse to the family and community. They demonstrated that giving names among the Pokot is vital in clan and family identification as well as telling the child’s birth story.
The participants further stated that, discrimination and stigmatization of their children have been extended in schools forcing some of their children to drop out of school due to bullying and teasing by their peers. These voices were re-echoed by participants still in school who reported verbal abuse from fellow peers whose parents are circumcised. Out of the 15 uncircumcised women interviewed, we recite stories of 3 participants;
“In our culture the husband or father in-law is the one to name after the child because that name is used as a clan or family identity and sometimes help to communicate about the child’s birth story but I struggled with my husband to give names to our children because his parents and elders had asked him not to name them saying that they are a curse to the family” (Nancy)
“My son was forced to drop out of school because of the persistent teasing and bullying from peers that he is a son of a woman who is not clean. I reported several times to the school administration for help but I was not helped until my son dropped out of school. What annoyed me so much is that even my husband did not help our child to be resettled in another school.” (Bella)
“My children are not allowed to socialize or interact with other children in the community, especially neighbors because they are considered outcasts and unclean. They are always called all sorts of names and mocked by their peers because of my position against FGM. The situation is worse for children from uneducated families.” (Margret)
Denial to mix with circumcised women during community meetings
Some participants narrated how they have been denied mixing with circumcised women on several occasions during community meetings claiming that they smell badly. Besides, not mixing with circumcised women, they were also not allowed to contribute any ideas during community meetings. These experiences were augmented by key informants who revealed that uncircumcised women are denied positions in leadership because most of the decisions on who to contest among the Pokot are decided by elders. As a result, some of the participants expressed feelings of rejection and unfit to stand in public places thus alienating themselves from participation in community meetings and decision making process.
“I remember one time I went for a community meeting to discuss about cattle raids in the area but the elders said those circumcised should not mix with those not circumcised. I was not even allowed to say something in that meeting. I felt so bad because our animals had also been raided by warriors and I wanted to share my challenges with elders”. (Rebecca)
“Uncircumcised women cannot talk in the meeting and are always called young girls “Chepto”. This has forced many young girls to succumb to pressure and get circumcised. My mother is a muganda but she was compelled to be circumcised because of what she was going through”. (Community Development Officer)
Denial of sex and basic needs at home
Married participants revealed denial of sex and other basic needs at home as one of the strategies used by their husbands to pressurize them to undergo female circumcision after realizing that they are not circumcised. The pressure to circumcise has been exacerbated by their co-wives who influence their husbands not to have sex with them claiming that dirty things come out of their private parts, smell badly and engage in extra marital affairs. Some of the participants revealed having deserted their matrimonial homes due to pressure from their co-wives while others reported constantly engaging in physical fighting with their husbands and co-wives over allegations of extra marital affairs. Three stories from the participants interviewed;
“I remember one time my husband got a full cabbage, boiled it and placed it on the table. When I asked him how he was going to eat the full cabbage that is not cut, he told me that I am like that cabbage. That I first go for cutting and come back when I am like ready cabbage. I felt so bad and decided to leave him and started staying with my mother. I don’t feel like reconciling with that man because he really mistreated me”. (Juliana)
“My husband got another woman after telling him that I am not circumcised. One time that woman confronted me in front of my children saying that she is the only woman in the family who doesn’t smell. My friend, I grabbed her and by the time people came to separate us, I had already given her enough ahahaha” (Bella)
“My father used to fight with mum because she refused me to undergo circumcision. One day mum told me to leave home and go to Kalas Girls Primary School to get formal education. I remember spending a night walking to that school because it’s very far from our home in Loroo Sub county.” (Linda)
Refusal by elders/clan leaders to bless their marriage
Participants revealed that marriage blessings in their culture are given by elders in the community. However, these blessings have been tied to female circumcision. Those who defied female circumcision are always blamed for their marriage misfortunate and elders do not visit their homes. In the case of Rachael “I am always harassed and abused by my In-laws whenever I try to go and pick food from the granary claiming that I will cause food insecurity to the family since I am not circumcised. I have tried several times to tell my husband to secure a plot far from his parents so that we can leave this place but he is always influenced by his parents. The harassment and stress is too much”.
The participants also stated that the economic benefits tagged on circumcised women during marriage have made elders not to bless their marriages. They revealed that uncircumcised women fetch less in terms of dowry as compared to those circumcised. This perception was more pronounced among the uneducated parents and those in the rural areas, where the cultural values are deeply entrenched.
“I am not circumcised because I am from a strong Christian family, but what pains me so much is that the parents to my husband refused him from paying dowry to my parents because I am not circumcised. They even vowed never to come and visit us at my home. I always feel bad because my children tell me that they are stigmatized when they go to visit their grandparents” (Bella)
“I remember one time my father in-law telling me in front of my children that look at this girl with seven horns; you know the shaper end of the clitoris looks like a horn. I felt so embarrassed, degraded and decided to leave that home up to now I have gone back.” (Lina)
Exclusion from cultural ceremonies and functions
Cultural ceremonies and functions have since time immemorial been used to build social bond, unity and communicate different gender roles among the Pokot community. However, participants mentioned that unlike circumcised women, those not circumcised are not allowed to participate in cultural ceremonies like “Nareyo” a traditional dance performed for those about to undergo circumcision or get married. They are also not allowed to serve elders during traditional ceremonies because of the myth that they smell badly and still young girls. A group of participants revealed having stopped attending traditional ceremonies due to discrimination and stigmatization by elders. Out of the fifteen uncircumcised women interviewed, we cite stories of two participants;
“My cousin sister was getting married and she asked me to serve elders from the husband’s side but one of my uncles who knew that I am circumcised stopped me from serving them claiming that I was not clean to serve elders and I will bring bad blessings to their daughter’s marriage. I felt so bad and decided to stop attending traditional and family functions.” (Nancy)
“One day I sent my child to the neighborhood to collect cow dung for beautifying our house but the man chased him and called him all sort of names because I am not circumcised. He shouted at him saying he should not collect cow dung from their kraal because he will bring curse on their family. They have also stopped my children from socializing with their children.” (Margret)
Besides, discrimination at traditional functions uncircumcised women continue to be denied access to some public places like water collection points and kraal to collect cow dung to beautify their houses claiming that they leak from their private parts. This stigmatization is also extended to their children, who are always harassed by fellow children at the water points and in extreme cases not allowed to fetch water. A story by one of the participants interviewed; “Sometimes when we go to the water collection points, those circumcised women tell us to first wait for them to fill their jerricans before we make the water dirty claiming that we leak from our private parts.” (Isah)
Difficulties in getting a marriage partner
Both married and unmarried participants mentioned difficulties in getting a marriage partner as one of the challenges faced. This according to participants is attributed to the myth that uncircumcised women are a curse to the family. This was exacerbated by hilarious names given to uncircumcised women like “Chemalayinan” and “Chineyomegtilinye” literally meaning a prostitute and dirty woman respectively. As a result, men shun away from falling in love with uncircumcised women for fear of insults and bullying from the community. Some of the participants revealed having abandoned their original communities to other areas where their circumcision status is not known to get marriage partners.
“Boys in the village used to tell me that I will not get someone to me marry me because I am not circumcised. I was forced to leave the village and come to Amudat Town Council where nobody knows that I am not circumcised and got a boyfriend although we have not yet started staying together”. (Cheleo)
Enjoying sex during sexual intercourse
Most participants mentioned enjoying playing sex with their husbands and boyfriends saying that they experience sweet sensitivity since they are intact. Although circumcised women were not targeted to get their experience on sexual feelings, participants revealed having received several complaints from their friends who are circumcised that they feel a lot of pain while playing sex. Margret recited her psychosexual experience “I have my friend who is circumcised but she tells me that she lost interest in playing sex with her husband because she feels a lot of pain whenever they have sex and sometimes bleeds. Personally, I have never felt pain apart from the very first time I had sex because I was still a virgin.”
Bella recalling her sexual experience; I feel happy whenever I have sex with my husband because I enjoy a lot unlike circumcised women whom their husbands say feel a lot of pain because their penetration area is very small.
Less complications while giving birth
The participants with children pointed out less complication while giving birth as one of the experiences they enjoy for not being circumcised. In the case of Bella, I have five children now and I have never got any problem while giving birth yet my friends who are circumcised have delivered from Moroto Hospital and some have undergone caesarean section after failing in our health facility here. These experiences have taught me a lesson and I pledged not to circumcise my daughters although my relatives sometimes try to influence me to circumcise my daughter.