It’s time to face the knife as the Luhya celebrate boys becoming ‘total’ men

Initiates sing and dance at Naitiri in Bungoma County as they head to pick a cow from their uncles before facing the knife.

NAIROBI, KENYA: It is circumcision season and Western Kenya is in frenzied excitement. On Friday The Standard On Sunday team witnessed one of the first foreskins drop to mark the start of a month-long passage rite.

While the rite is ongoing among some of the 16 sub-tribes of the populous Luhya community spread across Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga counties, the real drama is among the Bukusu in Bungoma, where the ritual is most colourful.