Transcript for "Oathing after circumcision"

Ese Jonathan Mukoro.

My name is Jonathan Mukoro.

Ndi nende embakha khubandu be babukusu khulubito.

I have a story on Bukusu people's tradtional ritual ceremony that involves taking the initiates through the community norms.

Lubito lwa babukusu salwanja sai ta, lwanja khale.

This Bukusu traditional ritual did not started today, it started a long time ago.

Ne efwe khubitanga babana.

And we teach the children.

Babekhengila, babakheba, baba bafulu, baona mala yola bise bya khubaelesea kamalaka niko yenyekhana barumikhile khulimenya liabwe.

Those who have been circumcised, and got healed and it comes a time to give them rules that they should use in their life.

Esindu siebweni namwe sirakikha, omwana ne bakhamukheba babechanga bamufulile chingubo cha mayi wewe bamufwalile chingubo cha papa wewe.

The first thing, a child after circumcision it is deemed that he has been stripped of his mother's clothes and dressed in his father's clothes.

Khumaanisha mbo ne bakhamukheba baribario sekenyikhana kekhale nende mayi wewe.

It means that, after he has been circumcised he should not sit in the company of his mother.

Mayi wewe sekenyekhana amusinge ta.

His mother should not bathe him.

Sekenyikhana kila khase kefumbilile mumaika nende mayi wewe bali khebatekha tawe.

He should not at all times sit around the fire in the kitchen with his mother in the name of cooking.

Anyala kakhola ario wakana bakachule nende owasie enje eyo mala kamubolela ali "Eh! Bali mbone sindu sisindi mayi.”

He might do that and maybe he had talked to his friend out there, and he tells her that, "mum, I saw something."

Basie mayi, “Sindu si!” Kamakhua nga kakenako rekeresia se kali kamalai ta.

The mother will wonder what thing, such words are not good.

Likhuwa namba mbili, omwana ne bakhamukheba babechanga bamurusisie mulwana kachile murika ya bandu bakhulu.

The second word/point the child after circumcision, they would have initiated him from childhood to adulthood.

Ne babukusu nge bakachulanga enyuma eyo mpaka ne sai babolanga bali sikhula sichenju.

And as Bukusu people used to talk a while back up to now, they used to say that that something that grows, gets a house (marry).

Bamanisha sina?

What did they mean?

Omundu ne kakhebulwa, akhula, kaafula, kakenda tete mala biola bise biekhukhwingila.

When someone is born, they grow, crawl, start walking and then they reach the time for circumcision.

Ne kakhengila ne aba alikhachenja chinganakani chewe ne kekhale ne babasie yesi akachule nge omundu omukhulu.

After circumcision, he would be changing his thoughts when seated in company of others, he speaks like a grown up.

Ne kakharura mulwana kacha mulukhulu kenyekhana kekhale nende papa wewe buli khase, se kenyekha kekhale nende mayi buli khase ta.

After graduating from childhood to adulthood, he is supposed to be sitting with his dad often, he is not supposed to sit with his mother as often.

Sikila papa newikhale ne naye anyala kakhubolela elomo enyala yakhulinda kimiaka kioo kiosi musibala.

Because when you sit with your father, he might tell you something (a word) that can help you in all your years on earth.

Likhuwa namba tatu, omwana na kakhengila bamurusiakho engubo ya mawe.

The third point, when a child gets circumcised, they strip him off his mother's cloth.

Bibiakoko biosi nende babana batiti sekenyekhana akhole ta.

All child-games with children are out of bounds for him.

Khucha ekewa nebekhala khumurakicha bali kumwikhururo sebenyekhana bakhole ta.

Going to the river and sitting and playing on banana stems is out of bounce for them.

Kakharura mulwana lwenoluo kachile mustagi ekindi.

He outgrew those childish games and moved to another stage.

Na bamanisha sina?

What did they mean?

For example, khunyala khwacha kamakhuwa ke kumwikhururo kakenaka bali babana batiti basikhola bibiakoko.

For example, we can go, playing on banana stems, are for small children who are still pursuing their childhood games.

Bali wasamusie chikhafu wachile...

When you take out cattle for...