Row over modern circumcision and culture

TRADITIONAL leaders in Chiredzi and Mwenezi districts in Masvingo Province have expressed concern over the recent involvement of strangers, among them women, in their circumcision rites saying it had grossly compromised their ChiChangana (Shangani) culture that is to a large extent defined by the practice.

They have also raised a red flag over the depletion of the circumcision rites forests stating that there was a lot of trespassing with NGOs that are pouring money for the programmes concerned about numbers and reports and not the preservation of culture.

In separate interviews with traditional leaders in parts of Chiredzi and Mwenezi where circumcision is practised by the Changana (Shangani) communities, Sunday News gathered that the practice was valued as it defines identity.

As a result, the population there is all too eager to preserve it, failure of which one is treated and seen as not belonging - an outcast and cultureless person with connotations of someone suffering from an identity crisis and not suitable to be among the community.

The traditional leaders admitted that there was some resistance when they were first introduced to the modern methods of circumcision but later embraced it after realising that the methods were more hygienic and aid in the prevention of HIV/Aids.

They said they never realised they were trading their culture in the process as it was now trampled on. The traditional leaders said the subject was taboo and not everyone was allowed to talk about it as it was regarded as a cultural secret to be shared among those who belonged to it where strangers were not welcome during the rites.

Headman Mpapa of Chikombedzi in Chiredzi under Chief Sengwe had no kind words on the way the current circumcision rites were practised. He said the involvement of strangers - people who do not belong to the culture and women in the circumcision rites was taboo.

"We are not happy at all. Our culture is under siege and this is no laughing matter.
"Traditionally women were not involved in the circumcision rites but now they are in the forefront. There is also the conscription of strangers some of whom have not been circumcised into the culture and circumcision camps to do the circumcision - all that was taboo but it's now happening.

"We also used to tend the wounds until they completely heal while the boys will be staying away from home but now it's one-day process and at times it is done without consultation with the parents especially in most of these rural areas. They think everyone from these areas should be circumcised, while it may be true we resent the lack of adherence to our cultural practices," said Headman Mpapa.

Mr Ernest Chitanga of the Chitanga chieftainship in Mwenezi said while modern methods were hygienic they were worried that their Shangani culture whose definition lies greatly on the practice and distinguished them among other cultures was fast facing extinction.

"Not that we are trying to shut others out. We are happy that the nation has seen something good in our culture and that the era where we used to be looked at with disdain as backward and uncivilised has finally ended. But while at it we implore authorities to respect our culture and know that we are not after numbers and reports when we do it but after fulfilling our cultural pride. Circumcision is our cultural pride and it defines identity. So we don't just do it like anyone. It is not an afterthought but it's one of the most important cultural arteries.

"The other thing is the depletion of our cultural rites forests. There used to be thickets meant for that along the river but the massive cutting down of trees especially in areas where people were resettled has created open spaces.

Villagers who are not of that culture do not respect the circumcision rites and the forests thereof but we hope the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) will be dealing with that. We are not attacking the programme (land reform) but we believe there was an oversight on our part as traditional leaders, we were supposed to advise the Government," said Mr Chitanga.

He said they felt that their culture had been greatly compromised as such things as kokomba which was an initiation rite for girls into womanhood was no longer valued. And with the boys being circumcised at schools and clinics, the initiation of boys into manhood was no longer as respected as it used to be back then when the culture was exclusive to the Changana (Shangani) communities.

Headman Samu said he would not comment on the challenges they were facing but only said the rites were traditionally done when there were good rains and good harvests.

Masvingo provincial administrator Mr Felix Chikovo, however, said the chiefs had not raised the issues with his office.

"I have not received any such issues. We are, however, a country that respects the cultural rites of any group of people as long as that culture does not interfere with the rights of other people. And we urge the resettled farmers to respect the cultural rites of the areas that they were resettled in," he said.

The Shangani communities are mostly under Chiefs Sengwe, Tsovani, Chitanga and Gezani in the then Nuanetsi district before it was divided into the current Chiredzi and Mwenezi districts.