AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Every December, thousands of Kenyan boys mark the transition from childhood to adulthood through a sacred rite of passage, circumcision. It's a tradition deeply rooted among tribes in the East African country. It's also a joyful moment for families and a cause of celebration. Journalist and proud father Emmanuel Igunza explains.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Vocalizing).
EMMANUEL IGUNZA, BYLINE: Over the past two weeks, my 11-year-old son, Ethan Kinyaga, has been away for his circumcision. Well, he's returning home today, and what you hear is his welcome party. As we dance along the road leading to our house, he's leading the way and carrying a traditional red-and-brown battle shield made of cowhide in one hand and a stick in the other.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing in non-English language).
IGUNZA: But before he can enter our homestead, there is one other important tradition to complete.
(SOUNDBITE OF GOAT BLEATING)
IGUNZA: Tradition dictates that we must give him a gift, a billy goat. My two-year-old daughter, Zoe Igunza, has the honor of presenting it to him as he returns.
(SOUNDBITE OF GOAT BLEATING)
IGUNZA: That goat will be the main dish for the celebration, slaughtered and grilled over charcoal for our guests, including my father-in-law, David Kimani.
DAVID KIMANI: Ethan, you are now a man, and a man comes with responsibilities. You have to have that vision, that goal, now carry (ph) steady.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing in non-English language).
IGUNZA: These traditions, rich in symbolism, have been passed down for generations. While some have faded away, others have adapted to modern life and intermarriages, but the core of the rite remains unchanged.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing in non-English language).
IGUNZA: My own initiation, 30 years ago, was very different. I was circumcised by a traditional elder, without anesthesia, and spent a month in the forest with my brothers and cousins. Ethan, on the other hand, was circumcised in a modern hospital here in Nairobi and spent two weeks at a school hostel. But the spirit of the tradition and the rite is the same.
GODFREY KAMIRI: As colleagues of Mom and friends of Daddy, congratulate you and to wish you well in this stage of life that you've just started.
IGUNZA: That's Godfrey Kamiri, a family friend.
KAMIRI: When you have to face realities of life, face them with two facts. Is God in heaven? You have your parents, and you have your courage.
IGUNZA: Godfrey plays a key role in this story. I will come back to him in a moment.
NELLY WANJIRU: A moment of pride, yes, but a scary one - I'm yet to come to terms that he's being regarded as a man.
IGUNZA: But for my wife, Nelly Wanjiru, and I, this celebration was unique, blending both our cultures, because we come from different ethnic communities with different languages and cultures.
WANJIRU: I wished him to remain as a young boy, somebody I can, you know, hold dear, hug. We are proud. I'm a proud mom.
IGUNZA: And as for Ethan, he took everything in his stride.
ETHAN KINYAGA: The main thing I took away from the teaching is to become a responsible man, fully mature and someone who helps others. Also the after-party was really the best part of this journey. It's really the best party I've ever had.
(APPLAUSE)
IGUNZA: Even as we embrace modernity, some traditions remain precious to us. Godfrey Kamiri, an elder who performs the final act - opening the first barrel of traditional honey beer. He brewed enough to last the night, and I'm pleased to report it did. For NPR News, I'm Emmanuel Igunza in Nairobi, Kenya.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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