Bagisu tribe and embalu ( circumscion ritual)
It one of Ugandan tribes in east. They live along mountain Elgon (masaba). It is said that they were ancestors of kintu. They practice agriculture for their servival. The favorite dish of the Bagisu is amalewa ( a certain type of mountain bamboo). The are home welcoming, social in nature. They believed in local gods for example they worshiped mountain Elgon.
The Bagisu perform initiation ceremony to prove manhood. Youth of 18 years and above under go circumscition (embalu). This is done by local surgeons using knives to cut off foreskin. Before the candidates dance local dance called kadodi throughout night to morning when circumscition is done after embalu is cut the candidate is ready for marriage. For a man to marry among the Bagisu has to circumscise.
a local surgeon practising embalu
Mbale is a hometown of the Bagisu. circumcision (imbalu), a ritual practiced by the bagisu. They are classified into two groups bamasaba and bakusu. Bagisu areone of Bantu tribes who inhabit the Mountain Elgon.
The Bagisu ancestral origin .
when Masaba, their forefather came from caves of the mountain Masaba (Elgon). It is belived that the bagisu emerged from Mundu and seera came from a hole on top of Mountain Elgon (masaba). The couple had two sons- Masaba, a hunter and Kundu, a herdsman.one day when the sky was setting, saw a lake on the horizon in the direction of the setting sun. And yearning to go and find out the secret of the lake, he wandered for many days and nights in wilderness till he got lost.
The Bagisu ancestral origin .
when Masaba, their forefather came from caves of the mountain Masaba (Elgon). It is belived that the bagisu emerged from Mundu and seera came from a hole on top of Mountain Elgon (masaba). The couple had two sons- Masaba, a hunter and Kundu, a herdsman.one day when the sky was setting, saw a lake on the horizon in the direction of the setting sun. And yearning to go and find out the secret of the lake, he wandered for many days and nights in wilderness till he got lost.
Itis is believed to have originated from a tale that a certain man was summoned by the council of elders because of commiting adultery with other men’s wives and then he was subjected to circumcision in Mutoto village as a punishment against action for being adulterous. However, this yielded nothing as he became more powerful and admirable to women. The counterparts retaliated by circumcising themselves to compete favourably. The Imbalu circumcision ceremony is held during leap years is a passage to manhood among the Bagisu. They believe that the desire to be circumcised is spiritual motivation
During imbalu "circumcision", candidates stand firm to reflect their courage. The ritual is conducted in August. Itinyi a local herb is used to give courage to candidates. They go to their relatives declaring their intentions of being circumcised " imbalu", after candidates gathered at Mutoto grounds. At this time elders lead candidates to be circumcised in traditional wear, while dancing "kadodi" and singing cultural songs. Candidates decorated in plant leaves and animal skins and their faces are covered with ash or flour. iends, marching and dancing through the village roads. When it is time for circumcision, the candidate raises his hands. Asurgeon makes three bold cuts to remove the foreskin of the candidates. A whistle is blown to mark the completion of the exercise. He is then led to the quiet place where he is seated and wrapped in a cloth before bleeding stops with his hands.
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