How Imbalu has evolved over the years

Well, the legendary ceremony among the Bagisu, which marks the initiation of boys from childhood to manhood was officially launched on August 3, at Mutoto Cultural ground in Mbale City.

This is an even year and the Imbalu  (male circumcision) season is upon Bugisu sub-region.  Among the Bagisu, circumcised boys bring pride to the family. One is not considered a man until they face this knife in public, according to the Bamasaba.

The cultural circumcision rites are held every even year among the Bamasaba, who hail from Bulambuli, Sironko, Mbale, Namisindwa, Bududa and Manafwa districts, and some parts of Kenya.

While the Imbalu season has kicked off, some Bagisu are abandoning the old practices. For instance, instead of practicing kadodi for a week, they practice for one day. Others today prefer circumcising their sons privately at home without involving in communal rituals.

Some rituals are slowly being ditched as people are opting for medical circumcision. The Imbalu fete includes food, beer and kadodi dance.  Moses Kutoi, the chairperson of Bugisu Culture, acknowledges that some of the old practices are dying in the region.

“Back in the day, before a boy was circumcised, they would slaughter a whole chicken, boil it and mix it with herbs to help a candidate to be strong. The chicken would be shared with the ancestors.”

The chicken, Kutoi says, would help the boy to produce many children. Today, chicken is shared with non- Bagisu, something he says was not allowed. Initially, chicken was eaten alone by the candidate.

Mr Kutoi says modern culture and religion are affecting the Bagisu culture. “Culture is culture. Every human being has a cultural background, but some people are interfering with our culture,” Kutoi said.

“We only allow parents to take boys to hospital for circumcision when they have a health problem. A Mugisu boy who is circumcised in the hospital cannot be an heir in the family. He cannot address elders. Others circumcise their children when they are young. This is not allowed.”

According to him, the sacred tradition is gradually becoming extinct. John Musila, the Member of Parliament for Bubulo East, said they used to circumcise during odd years.  The Bamasaba has two years: the female year and male year. A male year initiates a boy into manhood. You are not a man until you are circumcised.  “The circumcision procedure takes a maximum of 30 seconds and males aged 16 years and above face the knife,” Musila adds.  The Imbalu, he says, is the only identity of Bamasaba.

“Our own great father Masaba had a skin disease on his hands. That is how he got the name Masaba. With his three known sons Mwambu, Wanale, Mubuya and Ssera. Others who feared to be circumcised ran away including Munyole and Nagwere ran away,” he says. He estimates that imbalu has taken not less than 700 years since it started. He said Bamasaba has great surgeons, who operate a mobile theatre without sterilising. When a boy is ready for circumcision, he announces to the mother first. The mother then informs the husband and they both plan for the ceremony. The father then calls clan heads to announce that the son is ready for circumcision.Musila explains that the boy is trained for three days in dancing in preparation for circumcision. Mr Jimmy Nambafu, an elder, says the Bamasaba gods are not happy and fears the region will pay heavily one day.  “Educated Gishu men are circumcising their children in hospitals secretly, while others circumcise them like Muslims,” he says. Mr Nambafu adds that during Imbalu, elders would pass on values of their culture from generation to generation.  At this time of the year, Bagisu are expected to be performing rituals to their Imbalu gods to inspire boys to announce their intentions to be circumcised and visit their relatives in preparation for circumcision. Many of them are not.

Imbalu is an age-old tradition, which defines and unites the people in Bugisu region. Mr Mathias Nabutele, an educationist, says some people who live in Masaaba land and non Bagisu have adopted safe male circumcision (SMC) by the Ministry of Health. David Wamai, a resident of Busiu Sub-County, who had his son circumcised at his home on Sunday (August 5), says traditional circumcision is becoming expensive. “Our grandparents had plenty of food to feed the people for days. Imbalu requires a lot of money, which many cannot afford today,” he says. “The ritual is a central part of our culture, but we can make it less time consuming, affordable and more organised,” he counsels. Steven Masiga, the Spokesperson Inzu Ya Masaba, says Imbalu has undergone a series of reforms since it started. “From use of crude instruments during circumcision in the 1880s up to mid-1900s, to using razer and sophisticated blades including hospital circumcision. We abandoned the rubbing of ash and red pepper in the manhood of a candidate,” Masiga says many old cultural practices are gradually fading away.

“Culture cannot stay static. Circumcision comes once in two years. No one is prepared to just slaughter their birds in the name of culture,”Mr Masiga says.  Dan  Mafabi, another traditionalist, blames the problem on religious leaders who have painted Imbalu as an evil practice.  Religious leaders say they are only against the evil deeds practiced during Imbalu. “Circumcision itself has no harm, but cleansing by evil spirits before they face the knife, bizarre dancing are things we do not agree with,” Mr Peter  Masana says.

The Isonja dance is the preparatory dance for intending candidates. The dance helps the boys to acquaint their thighs with bells (Bitsetse). Bitsetse is one of the dancing attires. Others include beads (Zisukhusukhu, skin belts (Lihabi) cowries, and head-dress (Ijirubisi). “Imbalu initiates boys into adulthood, values, discipline and how to build strong families are taught,”Mr werishe says.

Mutoto, the Bugisu cultural site, is regarded as the traditional ground, where the first Mugisu (Mumasaba) male was circumcised.